"Mandala Azteca" (2005) – gouache paint & black ink
The Mexica Sun Stone – commonly known as the "Aztec Calendar" – is a huge 27 ton monolith believed to have been created in the early 16th century, during the reign Moctezuma II. Uncovered on December 17, 1790, it was found buried face down by workers excavating a street alongside México City's main plaza, near what was once a corner of a ceremonial center of Tenochtitlan (the Mexica capital). The stone – carved with symbols depicting the Mexica universe, history, and lore – was a fascinating discovery and has since been the most studied and written about single example of Meso-American art. It consists of a 365 day solar calendar cycle and a 260 day ritual cycle. These two cycles together form a 52 year "century," sometimes called the "Calendar Round." The stone is much more than a calendar, an astronomical guide, or a sun symbol. It is the depiction of the universe and of Mexica concepts of their place, both terrestrial and celestial, within the universe. It is currently exhibited at the National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park, México City, where it stands today as the centerpiece of Mexica culture.
Mandala Azteca explores unity, harmony, and symmetry in shape and color using the inner, circular design of the Mexica Sun Stone. I incorporated a yellow analogous split complimentary color scheme to attain a nice balance throughout the painting. Small sun motifs placed on the outside corners of the mandala serve to frame the piece and show a connection to the central focal point of the design – the Mexica sun god Tonatiuh. These sun motifs also make an outer, squared border that helps balance the overall circular design of the "Aztec calendar." Black ink was added at the end to separate the various colors and to enhance the detail.
Mandala Azteca explores unity, harmony, and symmetry in shape and color using the inner, circular design of the Mexica Sun Stone. I incorporated a yellow analogous split complimentary color scheme to attain a nice balance throughout the painting. Small sun motifs placed on the outside corners of the mandala serve to frame the piece and show a connection to the central focal point of the design – the Mexica sun god Tonatiuh. These sun motifs also make an outer, squared border that helps balance the overall circular design of the "Aztec calendar." Black ink was added at the end to separate the various colors and to enhance the detail.