Saffron Adhara 8x8 book

Edward Lentsch

Edward Lentsch

|The collection|S a f f r o n A d h a r a

Boston 2006 | Exhibit ion Catalog | Lanoue Fine Art

|The collection|S a f f r o n A d h a r a

The Saffron Adhara is my latest body of work. The titles represent to me the most provocative subject matter yet. My intention is again to continue to define synectics as I attempt to create a narrative where Science and Mysticism meet in an intriguing dialog of inspiration and intention. Through a series of titles and images I am trying to understand nature’s degrees of separation as I connect the dots in this human net of introspection.

The Saffron Adhara has been an idea of mine for a long time. I originally came up with it as the name for a “great island ship” in a novel about Ulijah Simeon, a character of my own invention. The Saffron Adhara is an esoteric name for the life force of the human soul and the mysticism connected to it. The word saffron comes from the saffron robes of an ancient order of monks and adhara is from the Adhara star canis major. Adhara is one of the most fascinating stars known in the universe with a mysterious and mystical history. The body of work is meant to weave through subject matter, connecting facts of history to the mysteries of the heavens and my search for real magic. Keys and clues are meant to thrust the viewer into an experience of synchronicity or what I like to refer to as the coinciding connection between things and nature.

Every individual decis ion is nothing but coincidence, every art ist ic decis ion is coincidence.

-Carsten Nicolai

“I want to know God’s thoughts,” said Albert Einstein. This is the idea that guides me in this work as reflected by the titles. I see this process as a way to not only show but to understand my adventure into the unknown.

My vision for the composition and theme of this collection is one of color and texture unlike any of my previous works. Inspired by the fact that Saffron is one of the first known pigments used on fabric, saffron has always been a color with special meaning for me. The colors of sunrise and sunset, the golden halo of saints, bodhisattvas and Christs; all are of a value and or shade that can be described as saffron.

As I started this series it began with the piece entitled The Atlantean. The experience was two fold: one, was the experimentation in a new variable of materials which established --- what to me was an extraordinary benchmark of surface and color, compounded by a title that came to me as a single word. I was then to discover later what the word meant and its fascinating history. The Emerald Tablets and Thoth the Atlantean were nothing I had ever known about when I came up with the title for the first piece. It is logical to assume that with other collections of recent, like Remembering Atlantis, or Defining Synectics, it is likely that it was something that took hold in my subconscious from my research of these subjects. However I arrived here, the connection I feel is one of deeper significance than accidental meaning in a title.

My work has always been about striving for the ultimate in surface and texture. The archival nature of the pieces stress techniques that are sound and proven to be better than traditional oil on canvas. Pushing the envelope in materials and application is a critical part of the whole. Varnishes, shellacs, polymers, porcelain powders, hot pots with beeswax, charcoal, and tempera--- all add to the fusion of elements.

I combine the best of the old with the best of the new for a new construct in painting. This construct includes a cognitive approach to process and technique in painting, while allowing for a spiritual expansion through its relative interconnectedness and expression.

I feel that this process is like the quantum field, a probability amplitude of an event or thought within a state of anticipation or observation. In fact the anticipation can actually manifest the observation and this is where the idea of real magic comes from; intention and inspiration.

As you experience this new series of works I wish you peace and joy and most importantly inspiration!

All good things,

Edward Lentsch

I , Thoth , the At lantean, master of myster ies, keeper of records, mighty k ing, magician, l iv ing from generat ion to generat ion, being about to pass into the hal ls of Amenti , set down for the guidance of those that are to come after, these records of the mighty wisdom of Great At lant is .

-Tablet I

The Atlantean

2006 | paint ing on canvas | 86 x 121 inches

Canis Major


Ten Bears


The Crucible of Athenot


Giant State


Copernican Heavens


The Wizard’s Apothecary


Wizard’s Wardrobe


Aleph


Adhara Also known as Epsi lon Canis Major is , i t i s actual ly the second br ightest star in the constel lat ion, and helps form the western leg of Canis Major, the larger dog. Look just below Si r ius to f ind an outstanding tr iangle of br ight stars. Adhara is at the lower r ight.

The ancient Arabs referred to this smal l three-star pattern as “the vi rgins,” to which the name “Adhara” actual ly refers. No one knows why the name was given or who they were. Adhara has an apparent magnitude of 1.50, and therefore is some-t imes referred to as the last of the “f i rst magnitude” stars or as the br ightest of the “second magnitude.”

-J im Kaler

Vincent


“I often think that the nightis more al ive and more

r ichly colored than the day.”

-Vincent van Gogh

Gryphon


Now I’ l l g ive you a new name, secret as a bidden f lame. I t ’s a secret none shal l see -only we two: you and me. With my band I make the spel l . Your new name to none I’ l l tel l .

- Wizardology

Blue Unicorn I


Blue Unicorn I I


Blue Unicorn I I I


Ctesias, a Greek physician from about 400, wrote a class ic descr ipt ion of the unicorn. He descr ibed i t as f leet and f ierce.

-Grol ier Encyclopedia

Afaggdu


“It i s the commonest of mistakes to bel ieve that the l imit of our perception is also the l imit of al l there is to perceive.”

-C. Leadbeater

The Last of the Fi rst Magnitude


The 16° band of the zodiac on either s ide of the sunpath, the plane of the ecl ipt ic, that t races through the sky marks a sort of stel lar hor izon where stars can be viewed from al l places on earth north or south. Undoubtedly this i s the reason that some constel lat ions or others in the Zodiac -- including many composed of rather arbit rar i ly faint stars -- have been given importance by ancient astronomers f rom al l cultures.

-Karen Strom

Sigi l lum Myster iorum I


Sigi l lum Myster iorum II


Enochian Language


Enochian is a name often appl ied to an occult or angel ic language recorded in the pr ivate journals of Dr. John Dee and his seer Edward Kel ley in the late 16th century. The men claimed that i t was revealed to them by angels, whi le some contemporary scholars of magic consider i t a constructed language.

-Wickepedia

I am not an expert in Enochian Language, however, I embrace the poss ibi l i ty that even though I can not see them, they are there and l i s tening to every word.

-Edward Lentsch

As phi losopher John Locke pointed out three centur ies ago, the achievement of human knowledge is often hampered by the use of words without f ixed s ignif icat ion.

-Standford.edu

“Error runs down an incl ined plane, whi le Truth has to labor iously cl imb its way up hi l l .”

- Old Proverb

Ruled by Logic


Emerald Tablet


Emerald Tablet

The history of the tablets . . . i s st range and beyond the bel ief of modern scient ists . Their ant iquity is stupendous, dating back some 36,000 years B.C. The wr iter i s Thoth, an At lantean Pr iest-King, who founded a colony in ancient Egypt after the sinking of the mother country.

The tablets t ranslated in this work are ten which were left in the Great Pyramid in the custody of the pyramid pr iests . The ten are div ided into thi r teen parts for the sake of convenience. Dur ing later ages, the ego of Thoth passed into the bodies of men in the manner descr ibed in the tablets. As such, he incarnated three t imes, in his last being known as Hermes, the thr ice-born.

Man’s search for understanding of the laws which regulate his l i fe has been unending, yet always just beyond the vei l which shields the higher planes f rom mater ial man’s v is ion the truth has existed, ready to be ass imi lated by those who enlarge their v is ion by turning inward, not outward, in their search. Al l symbols are but keys to doors leading to truths, and many t imes the door is not opened because the key seems so great that the things which are beyond it are not v is ible.

-El l ie Crystal

“Now, give I the key to Shambal la . . .

Open, I command, by the Secret of Secrets . . . Edomo-El-Ahim-Sabbert-2vr”

-Adom

Emerald Tablet XV Secret of Secrets

Thoth the At lantean

Proxima Centauri


| The XOI Principle |Phi losophy & Pa int ing

I value knowledge and contemplation about nature and its complexity--- pondering passionately the metaphysical relationship of God and Science. I use the title to construct a model. This becomes a vehicle to express the meaning of the paintings. Wolfram Logic, The Creation of the Universe, and The Translation of Odds are examples in a series of titles where I use the narrative as a suggestion that may stimulate the audience’s imagination to the energy of the subject. I have come to the foregone conclusion that art is a multi-dimensional formation of complex relationships and that ultimately, this produces an object. In fact, the value of the object lies in its ability to be something unique and remarkable as an object.

Pythagoras is believed to have coined the words “philosophy” (love of wisdom) and “mathematics” (that which is learned). I believe that as words define those things that are most important to our definition of self, art is the translation of those same but most important definitions.

I was in high school when I came across something that has driven me for over thirty years. It came to me one day while looking at bowling pins. My idea formed from the numbers that add up to ten. I have given this concept of order and sequence the name “The XOI Principle”. To me, this is the principle that governs the Laws of the Uni-verse. It is said in Chinese philosophy that by concentrating on the higher laws you acquire the power that underlies them. It is also a fundamental fact of consciousness that we take on the attributes and energies on which we focus our attention.

So it is with my paintings.

OX

I

The XOI Principle is a concept that I have been trying to articulate in drawings, writings, and designs for over twenty years. The XOI Principle can be explained in a similar diagram to the baryon decuplet. By observing the points of connection you will see that X-O-I like the bowling pins, if placed in order of 1- 2- 3, etc., works as a unique form of algorithm, similar to Cantor’s Continuum Hypothesis. Both structure a logical system of infinite expansion and contraction, contained in a viable and logical matrix. Stephen Wolfram’s “Mathematica” is another axiom system that shows order in what seemingly is an infinite construct. It in turn organizes chaos into order in the form of simple and complex algorithmic systems. This universal order is also described by the Chinese in the word Wu Li. Wu Li describes physics as “patterns of organic energy that reflect a universal order existing in nature”. In the logic of Wu Li, or in the definition of a word, we come to understand synchronicity. As we understand synchronicity we recognize coincidence as the coinciding connection.

My paintings are derived from a source of contemplation and fascination with the wonders of an awesome logic that exists in nature. Having a passion for numbers and logical systems, I observe them everywhere in the things that surround me. I see an aesthetic order of compositional dynamics in wild tree branches nestled in strange and compelling arrangements. I see a divine order in what seemingly appears to be random chaos. This is what I want to imitate and emulate. To show the value of this Divine Order in its purest beauty is the inspiration that guides my spirit. Painting is my map to this place of reason and intention.

| Education |

Academies Des La Grande Chaumierre, Paris, France

Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN

Summit Academy of Fine Art, St. Paul, MN

| Collections | partial l istings

Merrill Lynch, Minneapolis, MN

Marriott Hotel Corporation, Rochester, MN; Salt Lake City, UT

Radisson Hotel Corporation, Chicago, IL; Moline, IL; Minnetonka, MN; St. Paul, MN

Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, MN

Smith Parker Law Firm, Minneapolis, MN

Sunstone Hotel Corporation, Santa Ana, CA

Johnson Media Group, Minneapolis, MN

Johnson Grossfield, Minneapolis, MN

Midway National Bank, St. Paul, MN

Sebastian & Associates, Eagan, MN

Ackerberg Group, Minneapolis, MN

Garden of Eden, David Judakin, Los Angeles, CA

St. Paul Port Authority, St. Paul, MN

Pfingsten Publishing, Cleveland, OH

Bennett Katz, San Francisco, Palm Springs, CA

Gary & Susan Grandmaison, San Francisco, CA

Cornell Moore, Minneapolis, MN

Thomas Johnson, Minnetonka, MN

Jay Applebaum, Minnetonka, MN

Robin Johnson, Minnetonka, MN

Jerry & Judy Brill, Minneapolis, MN

Larry & Shirley Zipkin, Minnetonka, MN

Dr. Mark Wanderman & Dr. Chris Benson, Minnetonka, MN

Marc & Debbie Grossfield, Minnetonka, MN

Richard Schneider, Rapid City, IA

David Sebastian, Eagan, MN

Mike & Sara Badaurer, Minnetonka, MN

William Strifert & Julie Sinykin, Minnetonka, MN

Jerry Burns, Minneapolis, MN

Steve Kalin, Minneapolis, MN

Brad Davis, Detroit Lakes, MN

Ed & Linda Barresh, Scottsdale, AZ

Joe & Barbara Collins, Pebble Beach, CA

Eric & Nora Rotier, Minnetonka, MN

Joan Byhre, Edina, MN

John Martell, Santa Cruz, CA

Dr. Steven Plager, Santa Cruz, CA

Dr. Carl & Phyllis Maruzak, Pacific Palisades, CA

Kelly & Elisa Thomson, La Jolla, CA

Diane Keith, Palm Desert, CA

Henry & Barbara LaBounta, West Vancouver, BC

Claudia Wishnau, Long Beach, CA

Steve & Pat Rosvold, Vancouver, WA

Bill & Peggy Cohen, Palm Springs, CA

Greg Garbin & Ken Denhard, Alamo, CA

Barry Berg, Minneapolis, MN

Richard & Diane Cohen, Palm Desert, CA

Irving Budlong, Edina, MN

Steven Freeman, Minnetonka, MN

Phyllis Sperling, St. Louis Park, MN

Larry & Barbara Sonsini, Palm Desert, CA

Tom & Terri Burke, Plymouth, MN

Jeff & Carolie Lewis, New Ulm, MN

Mike & Paula Flom, Plymouth, MN

George Caswell & Karin Martinson, Minnetonka, MN

George & Mary Sissel, Denver, CO

Michael Gudalowski & Bonnie Boits, Palm Desert, CA

Barbara Fredrickson, Edina, MN

Eric Smith, Cleveland, OH

Steve Andersen, Minneapolis, MN

Eric Johnson, Chicago, IL

Richard and Lisa Rotenberg, Palm Desert, CA

Peter Nauert, Santa Fe, NM

Rob Brook, Scottsdale, AZ

Gretchen B. Ventura, Minneapolis, MN

| Exhibitions |

2006 Lanoue Fine Art, Boston, MA

2006 Modern Masters, Santa Fe, NM

2006 Hernandez Contemporary, Scottsdale, AZ

2006 Modern Masters Fine Art, Palm Desert, CA

2005 Art Chicago Navy Pier, Chicago, IL

2005 Flanders Gallery, Minneapolis, MN

2004 Elizabeth Edwards Fine Art, Palm Desert, CA

2004 Desert Wolf, Palm Desert, CA

2003 Art Chicago, Julie Baker Fine Art, Grass Valley, CA

2003 Windsor Gallery, Dania, FL

2003 Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Minnetonka, MN

2002 Palm Springs International Art Fair, Palm Springs, CA

2001 Elizabeth Edwards Fine Art, Maui, HI

2001 Elizabeth Edwards Fine Art, Nantucket, MA

2000 Palm Springs International Art Fair, Palm Springs, CA

1998 Atrium Design Center, Ranchero Mirage, CA

1997 Sidney Bechet Center for Visual Arts, Garches, France

1995 Gallery Massijiro Ltd., Fukuoka-Ken, Japan

1995 Minneapolis, Institute of Art, Art in Bloom, Minneapolis, MN

1994 Scholes Fine Art, Edina, MN

| Partial Bibliography | includes references for painting titles

The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life: Volume 1 by Drunvalo Melchizedek

The Ancient Secret of the Flower of Life: Volume 2 by Drunvalo Melchizedek

The Bible Code by Michael Drosnin

The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav

The Dead Sea Scrolls by G. Vermes

The Divine Proportion by H.E. Huntley

Divine Proportion: Phi In Art, Nature, and Science by Priya Hemenway

Egyptology: search for the Tomb of Osiris by Candlewick Press

The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene

The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean translation and interpretation by Doreal

The Fourth Turning An American Prophecy by William Strauss and Neil Howe

God and the New Physics by Paul Davies

God is a Verb by David A Cooper

The Golden Ratio: The Story of PHI, the World’s Most Astonishing Number by Mario Livio

How to Know God by Deepak Chopra

The I Ching or Book of Changes by Brian Browne Walker

Living in the Heart: How to Enter into the Sacred Space Within the Heart by Drunvalo Melchizedek

Mathematics from the Birth of Numbers by Jan Gullberg

Morphic Resonance & the Presence of the Past by Rupert Sheldrake

Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner

The Mystery of Aleph by Amir D. Aczel

A New Kind of Science by Stephen Wolfram

The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer

The Road to Reality by Roger Penrose

Sacred Geometry: Deciphering the Code by Stephen Skinner

Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (Art and Imagination) by Robert Lawlor

Sacred Geometry (Wooden Books) by Miranda Lundy

The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra

Wizardology: The Secrets of Merlin by Candlewick Press

Lanoue Fine Art160 Newbury StreetBoston, M.A. 02116

www.lanouefinart.comFor general inquiries: [email protected]

© Copyright 2006 all rights reserved

| Acknowledgements |

I would like to thank the following people for their contributions:Barbara Roche for editing my writings and her counsel and friendship. Alicia Dvorak the backbone of the studio for her multifaceted talents, skills and her continued support and diligence. Sarah Johnson, my painting assistant for her careful attention to detail and skillful craftsmanship in preparing the work for exhibition. Elizabeth Seefeldt, our graphics designer for her talents and patience for the many revisions made to this volume.

And most importantly Susan and the great people at Lanoue Fine Art for their continued support and friendship.

Documents

Saffron Adhara 8x8 book