The artist
Kate is a wonderful young woman from Oklahoma, who for some years now helps out with the publications of Theosophy Forward, both as an installer and assistant-editor. She is creative, very talented and we are fortunate that she is willing to make some of her art work available for our readers in this, and upcoming issues.
She works with the realm of the elementals, which should be familiar to Theosophists. Each of her creations are a surrealist-interpretation of her dialogue with the astral realms. Since a very early age she has been fascinated with the outer-edges of reality; the places where dream, imagination and vision combine. While her creations might be haunting to some viewers, this is only because they force a person to confront the very deep and powerful magic of their own minds. She aims to make visual the "unseen" (i.e. occult) in everyday life. The panels come with an explanation by Kate.
We Are Made of Star Stuff
This is oil on wood panel, 24” x 24”. I remember this quote, “we are made of star stuff,” from Carl Sagan, and thinking about the famous adage “as above so below.” To me, the two are interconnected. We have all of the elements in our own bodies and the material universe expands to the heavens, but we are so much more, so much mystery, so much to learn. When I look to the sky I realize how very little I even know, and how little I am, and this makes me feel safe for some reason.
The Wise Ones
This is oil on canvas, 36” x 36”. When I first started learning about Theosophy and human evolution I wondered if there were similar iterations in the animal kingdom. I thought of the “wise old owl,” and how they can fly without making a sound, how deep their eyes are, and how beautiful. We are all just characters in the play of life, and other creatures look to us with emerging intelligence, and ancient wisdom of their own kind.
Meditation Chamber
This is oil on canvas, 30” x 30”. I created this painting while listening to singing bowls and that is exactly what poured out of me as I listened. Deep, rhythmic and present.
Spirit Observed
This is a digital creation, a manipulated photograph. When I was in my 20s I had an experience while in the woods with a friend of mine. We thought we saw transparent little people walking towards us, and now I know we were seeing something with our “psychic sight.” We both saw the creatures, transparent like bubbles, but moving aside the grass as they walked towards us. Even though they didn’t appear hostile we were terrified to be experiencing something supernatural: something our senses could not explain. We both walked away slowly and didn’t turn back, as if we had seen a snake or something otherwise similarly dangerous. To this day, I am amazed.
Elohim
This is oil on wood panel, 24” x 48”. The God, or Gods, coming down from the Heaven, or Heavens, where mathematically numbers no longer exist. There is only to Be, or Being. I created Elohim to be anthropomorphic, because this is the human experience.