Mmmmm. We're still here.

The Apocalypse didn't happen. 

Archaeological sites in the Yucatan Peninsula cashed in as tourists flocked to popular mesoamerican sites such as Chichen Itza. All of those preppers will have to save all of their stuff in their bunkers for the next Apocalypse warning. I even had a Tinfoil Hat party Friday evening, 12-21-12. Our hats must have protected us somehow.  Even the cat had a hat. (She didn't wear it long though).

Lula, calm and protected from cosmic rays

I'm even wearing my new
"Friendly Aliens" t-shirt!

It was just another Friday in December, just as I expected. The nice thing was, I got to print the last plate in the series the day before, on Thursday, the 20th! It turned out pretty well. I did end up with a few nice prints. I'll make a few more when I get back to the print lab after Christmas.

So here they are, with much fanfare, the last image in the Esoterica II: Apocalypse 2012 series!

Fig. 21, The Dark Rift. 

"Fig. 21, The Dark Rift, Light into Darkness";
solarplate etching, 8"x10". Created 12-20-2012.

"Fig. 21, The Dark Rift, The Light of Creation";
monoprint with solarplate etching, 8"x10". Created 12-20-2012.

This print dispenses with all of the Rapture and/or destruction images I was originally thinking about doing; instead, it focuses on the Mayan's creation myth. You see, their creation myth states that life came from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. They had many names for this dark area in the center, including the Dark Rift and also the Creation Tree. The end date of 13.0.0.0.0 of the long count calendar is supposed to mark the date that the sun appears to align with this mass of dust and gas. It's not a rare an unusual event; but many "2012ers" believe that it was supposed to cause all kind of chaos like earthquakes, floods, pole shifts, tidal waves, etc.
Of course, that didn't happen.

The image in the print directly references the origin of their creation myth as well as the Mayan calendar round. The two I-Ching hexagrams mean "ascending" and "light into darkness". The uroboros is of course an image used in many cultures and usually symbolizes the never ending cycles of nature, eternity, the universe, etc. The divided dark/light is intentional. In destruction, there is creation; even in darkness, there is always a pinpoint of light. Kind of like yin-yang.

When I am back in the studio next week, I will post a few more images of Fig. 21 and then start on some brand-new prints.
In the meantime, have yourself a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year!
Cheers,
~Rebecca