"The Evolution of the Cosmic Jaguar"
artwork by Carlos Cedillo
Exhibit: July 6 - August 2, 2005
Reception: Friday, July 8, 2005, 6-8 pm
at Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, 211 Congress Avenue, Austin, TX
Quetzalcoatl and the Cosmic Jaguar
Venus Incarnate
During July, La Peña is presenting the work of New Braunfels artist Carlos Cedillo at Las Manitas Avenue Cafe in an exhibition titled "The Evolution of the Cosmic Serpent". The Mayan mythological and astrological themed artwork will be on display July 6th thru August 2nd with a reception taking place on Friday, July 8th from 6-8 pm.
Carlos' first inclination to paint began in May 2000. The year before he met a shaman woman to discover the meaning behind crystals he had collected in Mexico. It was the shaman who told him there was a conflict involving what he should be doing with his hands and the spirits didn't understand why he wasn't painting. He had been a classical guitar performer but his career was not taking off and is something Carlos considered far too conservative for him. He started working as a painter at a local water park in late 1999 and quit his job after a few months. He decided that it was time for him to paint the glyphs in Mexico he had seen and been studying.
Carlos paints to awaken dormant channels of energy in people, to inspire dreams and creativity, to build bridges between cultures, spirit and matter, mind and heart, youth and experience, to raise awareness of the cynical nature of time and the empty, ephemeral nature of "material reality". He wants to honor his Mayan ancestors and raise every individual's self-respect and awareness of their personal power and relationship with nature. He paints to show how dates on the Mayan calendar affect us all and share his personal experiences of the supernatural and the wisdom he's gained from them. He wants to try and pass along knowledge, love, and wisdom and to add color and brightness to life in general.