Legends, Myths

Archive of the Mendocino Heritage Artists

Charles Marchant Stevenson: Legends, Myths, Philosophy & Metaphysics

Father Abbott

Charles Marchant Stevenson paints his boyhood mentor Father Abbott as an angelic presence, arms outstretched in blessing, healing light radiating from his palms.

Creation

And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night…and God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (The Book of Genesis 1:16-18, KJV).

The Universe

Apotheosis of the Working Man

In Apotheosis of the Working Man, a halo surrounds the Risen Christ, who during His life was the carpenter Jesus of Nazareth. Sacred geometry also halos the priest, a worker in the fields of the Lord. The Priest, eyes closed and mouth open, still overcome by transcendant bliss from recent presence of the Dove of the Holy Spirit, as yet unaware of spattered traces of the Dove’s passage on his jacket.

Remembering

In his article, “Charles Stevenson: The Nature of Reality” (A&E Magazine, August 1994), Gerry Huckaby writes of Remembering: “[Stevenson] explains that he ‘releases himself to visions’ while he paints, and relies on intuition. As Charles approached his easel to begin Remembering, he saw doves coming out of the canvas and through him, then circling around and flying into a bright hole in the middle of the canvas – reminiscent of a ‘sparle’, one of the crystalline fractures found in so many of his paintings. “ Charles told Gerry that he cried and cried, and when he was done, he sat down to paint. Like almost all his paintings, the design is based on the Golden Mean and expresses the artist’s metaphysical vision. Mountains at the bottom are the unconcious; the towering triangle of birds and babies are the spirit, and the bright hole in the center is the path to Christ-consciousness, always available, the path the soul remembers.

Vestal

Stevenson, a Virgo, considered Vestal his signature work. His muse, Jean Spetrino, is portrayed as a Vestal, one of the virgin priestesses of Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth. The Vestals’ task was to tend the holy fire to which all came for fire to light the hearths in their own homes. Bringing his community together in his home, through his art, and as a patron of the arts of others, Stevenson saw himself as attendant on the holy fire

Ascent of the Soul: Portrait of Irma Gillespie

Renaissance

Renaissance

monologue with leonardo da vinci

Tai Chi Energies

Hermes Trismegistus

Symbolism in Hermes Trismagistus

Coal Miner’s Canary

Yellow Harbinger

employing
its vulnerability
coalmine canary

Paul F. Lenzi (July 5, 2016)
written to accompany Coal Miner’s Canary
by Stevenson/Leach Studios (1988)
Our Poetry Corner

Adam and Eve

The Citadel by Moonlight

Charles Marchant Stevenson views the mid-19th century Great Mosque of Mehmet Ali Pasha through an exquisite grillework window within the Citadel, a medieval Islamic fortification in Cairo. The Mosque was built within the walls of the Citadel which might be the reason the Mosque itself is popularly known as The Citadel (al-qal’a).

Surah 24:35 of the Holy Qur’an says, Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth, and likens the light of Allah to the light of a lamp. The simple terracotta oil lamp at the window is our reminder.

Through the grillework, the domes of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali glow under the light of a full moon, each dome, symbolic of the dome of heaven.

 

Apsaras

Mendocino Angels at Sunset

A reminder to look for the angels in Mendocino skies. Models: Shanti Balsé and Matt Leach.

Dancer on Heartbeat

Shanti’s Dream

Wrapped in a glowing golden heart, a young woman dreams of angelic protection. Shanti Balsé and Matt Leach are the models.

Hermes

Phaeton I

Phaeton II

Phaeton, the Shining One, child of the Sun God, takes a wild ride on his father’s fiery chariot and plummets toward earth.

The Seer: Portrait of Antonia Lamb

Aunt Betty Goes to Heaven

Manna

Stevenson describes the subject: a woman receiving roses from her inner being.

Phoenix Song

A singing phoenix rises from the glowing shadow of a woman clothed in flame, in an affirmation of hope and rebirth.

Warrior Woman: Tomo-e Gozen

The medieval Japanese epic, The Tale of the Heike, describes Tomo-e Gozen as especially beautiful, with long hair, and charming features … a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain…and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors. – Helen McCullough, translator. She rides toward battle carrying the naginata, a pole weapon effective in cavalry battles.

The Stained Glass Angel Windows

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