Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley:
"The Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic and 25 decorated caves. It is particularly interesting from an ethnological and anthropological, as well as an aesthetic point of view because of its cave paintings, especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality." *#*
"The Vézère valley contains 147 prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic and 25 decorated caves. It is particularly interesting from an ethnological and anthropological, as well as an aesthetic point of view because of its cave paintings, especially those of the Lascaux Cave, whose discovery in 1940 was of great importance for the history of prehistoric art. The hunting scenes show some 100 animal figures, which are remarkable for their detail, rich colours and lifelike quality." *#*
Why did man start to draw? They ask .. and I wonder - why do people today assume early cave drawings were made for 'supernatural' reasons? Scientists and anthropologists claim early man would worship gods, worship animals .. draw on cave walls to evoke the spirit of the hunter, to embue themselves with supernatural powers.
Perhaps one day in the future someone will look at my little friend and ask: "Why did she paint that square man?" So, before you get there let me answer you. The square man painted himself, and he did not paint himself to attain supernatural powers .. From the moment he appeared I did not like him .. what was he doing appearing in the middle of my painting.
I (the artist) looked at him and wondered how he got there. I did not like his funny shield, and I did not like his funny arm. I did not know why he had to have a square heart. I did not like his simple face. The little prehistoric soul warrior did not care whether I liked him or not. He was strong, aloof, silent and without opinion. I had to remold the rest of the painting around him.
I have to admit that I would never have achieved the perspective, powerful simplicity and prehistoric presence if I had thought about the form of the little man. That is exactly the point: I did not think. Scientists would argue that you have to think to give structure and form .. well, no you don't. Rational thought mimics structure and form. Thought measures structure and form. There is a much older part of the brain that directly connects with the reality of structure and form (free of thought).
Does the artist paint the picture or does the picture draw the artist? Like a Zen Master, when the artist is one with the line then the line draws itself. When the mind is free of thought the artists is the canvas for the soul. Thought (ego) measures structure and form, a mere shadow of the capacity within the mind to be structure and form.
The little square man bugs me because he cannot be explained. I do not know where he came from. I do not know how he appeared on the canvas. Yet, the painting is a window into that non-rational world - older and far superior to anything we are today. The square man talks to me of another world, a world we emerge from and return to when we leave our square reality. He laughs at us .. you think I am square .. you should see yourself from my perspective ..
The bison, the antelopes, tigers and the horses run wild in the spirit worlds far beyond our comprehension of all that surrounds this 3D world. When you look at our material existence from their perspective we look square ..
Perhaps one day in the future someone will look at my little friend and ask: "Why did she paint that square man?" So, before you get there let me answer you. The square man painted himself, and he did not paint himself to attain supernatural powers .. From the moment he appeared I did not like him .. what was he doing appearing in the middle of my painting.
I (the artist) looked at him and wondered how he got there. I did not like his funny shield, and I did not like his funny arm. I did not know why he had to have a square heart. I did not like his simple face. The little prehistoric soul warrior did not care whether I liked him or not. He was strong, aloof, silent and without opinion. I had to remold the rest of the painting around him.
I have to admit that I would never have achieved the perspective, powerful simplicity and prehistoric presence if I had thought about the form of the little man. That is exactly the point: I did not think. Scientists would argue that you have to think to give structure and form .. well, no you don't. Rational thought mimics structure and form. Thought measures structure and form. There is a much older part of the brain that directly connects with the reality of structure and form (free of thought).
Does the artist paint the picture or does the picture draw the artist? Like a Zen Master, when the artist is one with the line then the line draws itself. When the mind is free of thought the artists is the canvas for the soul. Thought (ego) measures structure and form, a mere shadow of the capacity within the mind to be structure and form.
The little square man bugs me because he cannot be explained. I do not know where he came from. I do not know how he appeared on the canvas. Yet, the painting is a window into that non-rational world - older and far superior to anything we are today. The square man talks to me of another world, a world we emerge from and return to when we leave our square reality. He laughs at us .. you think I am square .. you should see yourself from my perspective ..
The bison, the antelopes, tigers and the horses run wild in the spirit worlds far beyond our comprehension of all that surrounds this 3D world. When you look at our material existence from their perspective we look square ..
