Re-birthing a New Vision

Intending our collective human mind today may ingest, incubate and hatch the symbolism of the "egg" as an archetype for libration. The origins of the word Easter are found in the ancient Saxon Lunar Goddess known as Eostre and Norse Goddess Ostara. In both these traditions, as well as those of the Greeks and Egyptians we find the symbolic use of the egg and a theory of the Cosmic Egg as the source of all creation.

In August of 2003 when Greg and I attended the Visionary Art workshop titled Old Masters, New Visions in Austria. The egg is referred to as the Hermetic Vase, a vessel of transformation. As we used the whole egg to create the under painting in the workshop, we experienced a deeper meaning to the symbolism of the egg as it became a conductor of light and transformation. In turn, I was transformed and had the insight to create "Illuminated Perfume", weaving all my talents into one inspired vision.

“The shell must break before the bird can fly.” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

This forced isolation can be looked at symbolically as an incubation with the cracking open of the collective mind, an awakening and ascension. At least that's how I am choosing to look at it, the alternative of a canopy of GGGGG above our heads and forced vaccinations with micro chips implemented by Mr. Gates of doom is too painful.

Here are a few words from Jung on the topic of the egg:

“In alchemy the egg stands for the chaos apprehended by the artifex, the prima materia containing the captive world-soul. Out of the egg — symbolized by the round cooking vessel — will rise the eagle or phoenix, the liberated soul, which is ultimately identical with the Anthropos who was imprisoned in the embrace of Physis.”

Fred Bergen, an "instagram" friend mentioned a recent episode on NPR's Science Friday, titled The Luxury Ostrich Eggs of the Bronze and Iron Age Upper Class. Auspiciously Greg and I had placed an ostrich egg on our altar this morning, which in my meditation turned gold, with a reference to me apply gold leaf to it. After listening to the segment I found the idea of carving into an egg, or as we do in todays modern era, decorating eggs, this is yet another fitting archetype to dive into—decorating, carving a new reality for our "selves" and the world.

The “flowering” of the landscape is another way to perceive the symbol of transformation. The opening image, titled The opening image is titled Hermaphrodite with the World Egg, is a color pencil on paper piece by Laurie Lipton, look closely as it bears similarities to the Rebis image below of the hermaphrodite contained in the alchemical egg.

These alchemical images have created a yearning within me to cycle back to drawing and painting, perhaps that will be part of my alchemical rebirth. Here is a story from my old art blog of H2 illuminated, an image I created back in 2002 when I was still illustrating. The final image can be viewed here.

Illuminated

I choose to use the term "illuminated" for my botanical perfume brand for a variety of reasons. Some of you may have already heard, this story in some form or other. This post is for those who may not have heard the tale as of it.

It all started way back in August 2003 while I was juggling working as an illustrator, practicing and teaching aromatherapy and learning how to create pure fumes with essential oils. At the time I was reading quite a lot about the history of fragrance, specifically in Egypt , inspired by attending a class in Malibu with John Steele.

The three week long workshop took place in a small Austrian village, high up in the Alps, called Reichenau. The workshop, taught by artist Phillip Rubinov Jacobson, was titled Old Masters, New Visions. It centered on learning the secret, ancient painting technique called Mishe that had been resurrected by the visionary painter Ernst Fuchs. You can read more in depth on the subject here at the journal.

During the first week of the intensive we learned the history of the technique stemming from 14th and 15th century when artisans within the guilds of painting and alchemy shared their wisdom with each other.  I became aware of the sacred triad that existed between art, perfumery and alchemy. The unifying component within this triad being the prima materia, plants! Thus, the term "illuminated" as in illuminated manuscripts and the aspect of bringing to light the beauty of plant matter in pure fume popped into my head like a lighting bolt. It also was made clear that Greg's imagery would be perfect for the brand since he has a very old world, romantic quality to his work...besides the convenience of him being my partner.

Here are a few of the "illuminations" that Greg created to accompany my pure fumes, 

some of these are details of the larger pieces. We collaborated on many of them while others were

existing pieces which he refined or adjusted. Find prints for sale here on his site.

All images are copyrighted, please respect the artist.

Q for the oak

Lyra

Sierra

Aurora

Mellifera

Figure 1; Noir

Figure 5: Bois

La Dame Blanche

Fleurish

and my favorite...Chiaroscuro

There are a few more which I'll include shortly.

Wednesday Muse: Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta

Todays muse is the absolutely stunning Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta, a glorious example of how exquisite type & image can dance together. Even more impressive is that the two parts were created approximately thirty years apart!

The gem of a book was begun in 1561 under rule of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I king of Bohemia, Hungary and Croatia. Georg Bocksay, the secretary of the king, created the book in Vienna to demonstrate his inventiveness and technical superiority over other scribes.

Later, under the rule of Ferdinand's grandson, Emperor Rudolph II, Joris Hoefnagel was commissioned to illuminate Bocskay's book. "Hoefnagel added fruit, flowers, and insects to nearly every page, composing them so as to enhance the unity and balance of the page's design. It was one of the most unusual collaborations between scribe and painter in the history of manuscript illumination."1

The books mastery of composition between the beautifully scripted words and carefully placed painted imagery eloquently embodies the conjunction of two art forms uniting in a synergy that together form a whole so much more than the sum of its parts.

This treasure, along with a trip to Austria in August 2003, ultimately inspired me to pair the terms “illuminated” with “perfume” when forming the concepts for my botanical fragrance business. I still feel an inner swoon when I gaze upon the exquisiteness of these pages.

Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta
Joris Hoefnagel (Flemish / Hungarian, 1542 - 1600), and Georg Bocskay (Hungarian, died 1575)
Mira calligraphiae monumenta, fols. 1-129 written 1561 - 1562; illumination added about 1591 - 1596, Tempera colors, watercolors, gold and silver paint, and ink on parchment and paper bound between pasteboard covered with red morocco
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles