Episode 20: Incandescent Visions - Agnes Pelton “Sandstorm” 1932 / “Orbits” 1934 / “The Blest” 1941
A short clip from Episode 20
Stephanie Duenas and Russell Shoemaker are back to take you to the California desert, where they discuss the life and work of Agnes Pelton, a theosophical and occult painter of the 20th century who was relatively unknown in the Art World Mainstream until recently.
Despite similarities to Hilma af Klint and Wassily Kandinsky (both inspired by Theosophy) in terms of abstraction and often compared to painter Georgia O’Keeffe with her desert landscapes – Agnes’ work is truly unique, combining theosophical symbology with a keen eye to light filled observations resulting in otherworldly and incandescent compositions. Using oil paint and numerous layers of glazes, she achieves that mesmerizing glowing light effect present in paintings of Italian Baroque masters like Artemisia Gentileschi and (Michelangelo Merisi da) Caravaggio.
After leaving behind the bustling East Coast, Agnes sought a life in Cathedral City, located in the California desert, where she could channel her energy and focus on harnessing the incandescent visions that came to her through her meditations while also exploring her spirituality.
There, she found a community of like-minded outsiders and artists who thrived in the oasis that was Cathedral City for them too. Despite her lack of mainstream success for the most part during her life, she made a lasting impression on those who knew her – whether it was through her presence or through her stunning paintings.
The works discussed today are Sandstorm, 1932; Future, 1943 (available on our Patreon); Orbits. 1934; and The Blest. 1941.
Topics include sugar addiction problems, dirty windshields, studious rattlesnakes, silver tea sets, and cliffside thrift stores.
The Art Pantry this week is Glaze.
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@artslicepod A clip from our latest full episode on desert occult vision wrangler 🤠 Agnes Pelton. #agnespelton #hilmaafklint #TranscendentalPaintingGroup #femaleartists #arthistorytok #arthistory ♬ original sound - ArtSlice Palatable Art History
Agnes Pelton, Sandstorm, 1932. Oil on canvas. 30 1/4 × 22 in.
Agnes Pelton, Future, 1943. Oil on canvas. (Patreon)
Agnes Pelton, Orbits. 1934. Oil on canvas. 36 1/4 x 30 inches
Agnes Pelton, The Blest. 1941. Oil on canvas.
Arthur Wesley Dow, The Derelict (The Lost Boat), 1916. Color woodcut print. Agnes’ teacher at the Pratt Institute.
Georgia O’Keeffe, Jack-in -the-Pulpit No. IV, 1930. Watercolor.
Charles Burchfield, Mist Phantoms at Dawn,1960. Watercolor with charcoal on joined paper mounted on board. 33 x 40 inches
Agnes Pelton, Vine Wood, 1913. Oil on canvas. 18 x 14.25 in. Exhibited at the 1913 Armory Show in NYC.
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, 1620-21. Oil on canvas,6′6″x5′4″.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Calling of St. Matthew, 1599-1600. Oil on canvas. 127 in × 130 in.
An image of a Thought-Form from the theosophical book Thought-Forms: A Record of Clairvoyant Investigation by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater. 1901.
Haywood Windmill on Long Island, New York.
Agnes painting in her “mystical house” c. 1920s at the Haywood Windmill, Long Island, NY.
Cathedral City gates before they were torn down.
Exterior of Agnes’ Cathedral City home, c. 1930s.
View of Agnes’ studio in her home, Cathedral City , c. 1930s.
Bob Hillery, first mayor of Cathedral City and Agnes’ neighbor, holding a painting of his mother Marguerite by Agnes Pelton.
www.CaliforniaDesertArt.com
Agnes Pelton’s portrait of Christina Lillian, date unknown. Oil on canvas.
Agnes Pelton, Smoke Trees in a Draw, 1945. Oil on canvas.
Agnes Pelton, Orbits. 1934. Oil on canvas. 36 1/4 x 30 inches
Hilma af Klint, Group X, Altarpieces, Nos. 1–3, 1915. Tempera on paper.
Hilma af Klint, Group IV, The Ten Largest, No. 6, Adulthood, 1907. Tempera on paper.10’ x 8’
Agnes Pelton, The Blest. 1941. Oil on canvas.
The Virgin of Guadalupe, a venerated image on a cloak (1531) enshrined within the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
Agnes Pelton c.1940s
Agnes Pelton and Raymond Jonson from the Transcendentalist Painting Group, Cathedral City. c. 1935.
Agnes (far right) with friends - (Photo credit: Wilson Ellis www.CaliforniaDesertArt.com)
Agnes (left) at a gallery in Cathedral City. - (Photo credit: Wilson Ellis www.CaliforniaDesertArt.com)
