The Alchemies

The Alchemies

The Alchemies

  • by Nola

For this show, I gave careful consideration to the associations made to blood. My interest in decontextualizing this provocative material led to alchemy and mysticism as the appropriate connection between material and imagery.

Alchemy combines technical skills and practical experience with spiritual components – the transmutation of the base material into something transcendent through the expression of secret rituals and symbols.

I subtracted and added to centuries of imagery to create my own lexicon of secret translations and transmissions.

QUA Blood, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
QUA
Blood, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
SAL Blood, salt, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
SAL
Blood, salt, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
RO Blood, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
RO
Blood, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
The Standoff Blood, graphite and gum arabic, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
The Standoff
Blood, graphite and gum arabic, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
Battle of the Elements Blood, graphite, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
Battle of the Elements
Blood, graphite, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
The Sublimation Of the Dew Blood, graphite, gouache and acrylic on paper. 2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
The Sublimation Of the Dew
Blood, graphite, gouache and acrylic on paper.
2009. 3 ½”x 3 3/8”
Not Until the Serpent has Swallowed His Tail Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper. 2009. 3”x 3”
Not Until the Serpent has Swallowed His Tail
Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper.
2009. 3”x 3”
Purifying the Lion Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper. 2009. 3”x 3”
Purifying the Lion
Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper.
2009. 3”x 3”
The Sacrifice of the Pelican Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper. 2009. 3”x 3”
The Sacrifice of the Pelican
Blood, graphite and watercolor on paper.
2009. 3”x 3”

The blood of the artist is a potent substance that resonates more than any pigment. I work with a medical professional to extract small amounts at a time and am myself a certified phlebotomist.