Father’s Day Summer Solstice Sunday at San Xavier Del Bac Mission

Yesterday was Father’s Day, and my family decided it would be a good day to take an outing.  Our decided destination was San Xavier del Bac in Tucson.  Perhaps the 115 degree temperature squeezing all of the moisture out of my body had me thinking a lot about the sun.  Perhaps it was all of the obvious solar imagery that caused me to realize that Father’s Day is always the Sunday closest to Summer Solstice (duh!).

Tohono O’odham basket with Catholic solar symbol mashup
Woven Tonto O’odham symbol of man in the maze with the gold Catholic 8 pointed star solar symbol placed at the center.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Catholicism is a solar cult.  While observing the mashup of O’odahm symbolism with that of Catholic, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head.  There I was in a Catholic mission, on a Sunday which happened to be Father’s Day and two days before summer solstice.  Interesting that Father’s Day always falls on the closest Sunday to Solstice?  Could it be coincidence?  Not likely considering that the solar cults refer to the sun as “Heavenly Father”.  Sunday is also the day of worship of said deity because it is the day of the sun.  The sun has the most power on the solstice, the longest day of the year.  Therefore, you add Sunday and Solstice and you get Father’s Day.  Pretty neat huh?

Below is a photo exploration of my visit to San Xavier del Bac Mission with occasional commentary.
Candles at San Xavier del Bac Mission

There is also no shortage of lunar symbolism at the mission as the Madonna serves this purpose.  Here is Our Lady cloaked in a garment of stars and standing on a black crescent moon.

Madonna standing on a black moon tile artwork at San Xavier del Bac

This gate is a pretty neat use of the  Tonto O’odham symbol of the man in the maze.  Of course, with the bars interrupting all of the paths in the maze, the man would find it impossible to complete it (perhaps that was the idea?).  Right next to the gate is a lion head which is a typical symbol of the sun.Tonto O'odham man in the maze symbol on a get next to solar lion head at San Xavier Mission

Lion head at San Xavier del Bac mission in Tucson

On the cross mound next to the mission, are two Lion statues and a large white cross.  Of course, lion and cross are symbols of the sun.Bronze lion solar symbol below cross solar symbol next to San Xavier Mission

offerings at shrine with madonna on the cross mound by San Xavier mission Shrine at cross mount next to San Xavier del Bac Mission Madonna and rosary in shrine on cross mound by San Xavier mission Entrance to San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson, AZ

Inside of San Xavier del Bac, is this really cool lion statue which could very well have been designed by Dr. Suess.  Lion symbol of the sun statue in San Xavier mission San Xavier del Bac Mission Dome at San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, AZ Shrine at San Xavier del Bac in Tucson AZ bells over shrine at San Xavier del Bac Mission Cholla and relief sculpture at San Xavier mission Cast shadow of ironwork at San Xavier mission

Here, seeming pretty out of place, is the sign of Osiris Slain (haha!) tagged onto a pipe.  Alright, so it is probably really meant to just be a parishioner in exaltation before the mission bells but still a pretty neat stencil.  Painting on a large pipe at San Xavier

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Screen printing my Solve et Coagula shirt, Rod of Asclepius, and Ouroboros shirt

Here is an inside look at the Closet of Mysteries screen print shop.  Custom variations of Solve et Coagula shirt in gold on scarlet, Rod of Asclepius shirt in black on white, and the Ouroboros shirt in white on forrest green.

Please have a look at my Etsy shop to see all of the awesome wonders – Closet of Mysteries.

Solve et Coagula shirt

Rod of Asclepius shirt screen

Rod of Asclepius shirt

Artwork in progress: 2017. Esoteric Art of Scott Myst

As the new year began, I felt the old pull to embark on some new art projects.  I will post updates as I work on this set more.  Here are my latest artwork in progress.  Keep in mind some are just begun and will change drastically before they are finished.  I thought it would be interesting to post them at this early stage to see how far they change…pen and ink drawing in progress

New artwork in progress New work in progress New work in progress New work in progress New work in progress - esoteric art New work in progress - esoteric art

 

Thank you for stopping by to check out my latest artworks in progress.  I will be posting new pictures as the work develops.  Check back in to watch evolution in progress.

Support an artist, buy my t shirts:

Exploring the Inland Empire – Riverside and Redlands, CA

Our little crew recently set out on an adventure to visit some family in the Inland Empire, CA.  While we were visiting, we took the opportunity to do some poking around.  Here are some of the wonders we beheld while exploring the Inland Empire – Riverside and Redlands, CA.

Our first outing was to Riverside.  We were met with a drizzle which was a welcome event considering the endless summer we left behind in Arizona (yes, it’s still pretty warm in October and we are over it).  Our first stop was Back to the Grind Coffee shop.  It’s a wonderful shop full of art and great atmosphere.

Mural at Back to the Grind in Riverside Nosferatu climbing the stairs at Back to the Grind Riverside mural at Back to the Grind in Riverside Hydra Loves You at Back to the Grind Riverside

Back out on the streets, public art and old architecture provide many treats for the eyeballs.

Owl Mural in Riverside, CA Riverside Church tower Chinese Pavilion Riverside, California Stone Lion Riverside California Sun Dial with zodiac Riverside California Shepard Fairey banner on Riverside City Hall Riverside City Hall architecture Changing minds in Riverside, CA Eliza Tibbets sculpture in Downtown Riverside CAAfter exploring the streets for a while, we decided to check out the Riverside Metropolitan Museum which was conveniently free!

Spirit Collection at Riverside Metropolitan Museum Goat Skull at Riverside Metropolitan Museum Deer Skull at Riverside Metropolitan Museum Hopi basket at Riverside Metropolitan Museum
Hopi Kachina at Riverside Metropolitan Museum

Our next outing was to the quaint city of Redlands.  The downtown was fun to explore.  One of the highlights for us was the comic store A Shop Called Quest which was loaded with interesting comics, books, toys, and art.

A Shop Called Quest Comic Store Redlands California A Shop Called Quest Comic Store Redlands California A Shop Called Quest Comic Store Redlands California Adventure Time mural on a Shop Called Quest Redlands

Walking outside also provided many visual treats.

Fox Mural in Redlands California img_6717 Downtown Redlands California

The last stop in Redlands was Prospect Park for a burrito picnic and wandering.

View at Prospect Park Redlands CA

Redwood at Prospect Park Redlands CA Mushrooms growing in Prospect Park Redlands CA Prospect Park Redlands CA Prospect Park Redlands CA
Redwood and ferns at Prospect Park Redlands CA

I hope you enjoyed exploring Riverside and Redlands, CA with us.  We love poking around new and old places and sharing them with you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

13 of the creepiest old Halloween pictures I could find

With Halloween approaching, I thought it would be fun to share some of these creepiest old Halloween pictures that I found around ye olde internet.  Most of you probably know that the tradition of Halloween as we know it goes back quite a ways into our history.  The Catholics adapted the Pagan traditions somewhere around 800 A.D. and ever since then, the europeans and their descendants have been adorning masks and coercing treats from their neighbors with threats of tricks.  Compared to the costumes from generations past, today’s seem quite mild.  If one of these showed up at the door today, most people would sit quietly behind their peep hole hoping to whatever power they subscribe to that the thing would go away and quickly…
For more on the History and origins of Halloween, check out my article on the topic here!
I think this guy is a side of beef…?
How could I not include a creepy gnome and a pair of amanita muscaria?  Not the scariest, but certainly my favorite….

There you have it!  Taking a DIY approach to Halloween costumes could prove far more effective in scaring off the evil spirits than buying some injection molded plastic outfit from the super stores… Happy hauntings!

Historic traditions and origins of Halloween

Everywhere seems to be bursting with pumpkins, pumpkin spice lattes, skeletons, witches, and ghosts.  Halloween is approaching.  It’s easy to get caught up in the fun and commotion of a holiday.  After all, that is what a holiday is all about right?  I like to look a little deeper to find out about where the traditions come from and what is at the core that our ancestors created the traditions to remind us of.  Let’s take a look at the historic traditions and origins of Halloween.

halloween on year wheelSamhain origins of Halloween

Halloween is a modern version of a day of the dead celebration with is roots in the Samhain tradition from the old world.  Samahain is opposite on the year wheel from Belatne (May 1).  The two days mark the “hinge” points of the year.  This is most easily understood if we imagine the year to be a single day where Beltane is the dawn and Samhain is sunset.

During these times of the year, the ancient Northern Europeans believed that the veil between the material plane and the beyond becomes thin allowing the energies to flow from one side to the other.  This is why both holidays are thought to be important for spiritual work and rituals.

While Beltane is primarily focussed on new growth and the bounty of spring, Samhain leads the world (in the Northern Hemisphere) into the darkness of winter.  Because of this, it is a day for the dead.  This does not mean that the ancients were morbid.  Rather, the ancients understood the cyclical nature of all things which includes death as a part of living.

Origins of Halloween costumesCostumes

One of the main beliefs which sets the stage for all of the modern Halloween practices is that the dead are released from the underworld to wander amongst the living.  It was believed that those ghosts could seek revenge on anyone who had wronged them during life.  This is the reason for costumes and masks which were intended to hide the living from such repercussions.

Trick or Treat

The tradition of trick or treat seems to go back a long way.  It’s roots are most likely to be found in the ancient world.  Offering were often placed outside of villages in order to placate angry or malevolent spirits unleashed during Samhain.  Over time, it is theorized, people began to dress up like the evil spirits to claim such offerings for themselves.  Depending on your point of view, this may not have been such a great idea but that is the theory none the less.

Traditions have obviously evolved over time and children set out in costumes going door to door.  Perhaps to this day, we continue to anger the underworld by stealing their treats and gobbling them up ourselves…

Moving forward

Although we live in a modern world, it is good to remember where our traditions originate.  Rather than simply dressing up our kids just to claim free treats, it may benefit us all to remember the natural cycles that the holidays represent.  This time of year is significant in marking the decent into darkness that make life possible.

Have fun and enjoy your Halloween!

Screen Printing Timothy Leary LSD Quote T Shirt

“LSD is a psychedelic drug which occasionally causes psychotic behavior in people who have NOT taken it.”

The only source I have honestly ever heard the infamous Timothy Leary LSD quote was Terence McKenna.  Never the less, here I am printing my shirt design inspired by Dr. Leary.

Timothy Leary LSD quote t shirt from Closet of Mysteries
Ladies’ Timothy Leary LSD quote t shirt +++Click for Etsy listing+++
Men's Timothy Leary LSD quote T Shirt from Closet of Mysteries
Men’s Timothy Leary LSD quote T Shirt +++Click for Etsy listing+++