This was my first acrylic painting on canvas after 3 years, even more if you take into account how long its been since I’ve actually completed a painting.
Back in high school, I had an unusually dedicated art teacher who was also an exhibiting artist. He didn’t just teach us how to create gallery-worthy artwork but also how to approach galleries and present ourselves professionally. His art program is the only “formal” education I’ve ever had.
Unfortunately, I delt with a lot of mental health struggles in my early to mid-twenties, so I didn’t create as much art as I had hoped.
This piece was inspired by a mix of Funkadelic songs and the following verse from the Lemegeton, also known as the Ars Goetia—a 17th-century grimoire that catalogs 72 demons said to be summoned and commanded by King Solomon.
I CONJURE thee, O fire, by him who made thee and all other creatures for good in the world, that thou torment, burn, and consume this Spirit N., for everlasting. I condemn thee, thou Spirit N., because thou art disobedient and obeyest not my commandment, nor keepest the precepts of the LORD THY GOD, neither wilt thou obey me nor mine invocations, having thereby called thee forth, 1, who am the servant of the MOST HIGH AND IMPERIAL LORD GOD OF HOSTS, IEHOVAH, I who am dignified and fortified by His celestial power and permission, and yet thou comest not to answer these my propositions here made unto thee. For the which thine averseness and contempt thou art guilty of great disobedience and rebellion, and therefore shall I excommunicate thee, and destroy thy name and seal, the which I have enclosed in this box; and shall burn thee in the immortal fire and bury thee in immortal oblivion; unless thou immediately come and appear visibly and affably, friendly and courteously here unto me before this Circle, in this triangle, in a form comely and fair, and in no wise terrible, hurtful, or frightful to me or any other creature whatsoever upon the face of earth. And thou shalt make rational answers unto my requests, and perform all my desires in all things, that I shall make unto thee.