Atlas

This is the first blog post introducing my project Atlas — a series grounded in personal historical research. It explores time, lineage, and culture, while also delving into spirituality, religion, and art.

This could turn out to be quite a long project! It will be a larger, more ambitious book, accompanied by several stand-alone art works. My vague vision is that in a couple of years I will be ready to have an exhibition with the book, a video of the book, along with several stand-alone works of art. 

My intention is to document this process as I go along. If you would like to see any blog entries about this project, go back to my blog landing page, OR look for the tag "Atlas" under Categories in the right column of any blog page. 

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Links to Other Posts About Atlas

​In addition, I will continually update this page with links to blog entries about Atlas listed below.

​The Dillabough Banner

The Witches' Pop-up Party
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How Much is Enough?

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The Background for Atlas

The Sun’s Nocturnal Return ©Leslie Peterson Sapp

​When I created my Archeology Art series, I chose the subject for each piece on a whim- whatever archeological find happened to strike my fancy.

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Throughout the ages, people have used art to express their collective spiritual beliefs. So, of course many of the archeological finds I was inspired by reflected this.

But whenever I made art centered on Northern European artifacts, another layer of intrigue was added.

​Though I had a very general idea that most of my ancestors were from Northern Europe, I began some basic genealogical research to get a more precise picture. 

I became captivated by the idea that one of my ancestors may have actually seen some of these sacred objects. What forms of art and belief might there have been in my ancestral past?

Seahenge ©Leslie Peterson Sapp

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The Structure of the Series

​​My goal is to research my ancestors and the places they lived, and transform what I uncover into a new series, comprised of stand-alone paintings and an artist book, which would emulate the form of an atlas.

​Below are a few images of the beginning framework of my "Atlas"— the skeleton, you might say.