Blak Serpent Studio — Dr. Tone Rawlings

The Pathway Here

A few years ago I had a profound experience with a Peruvian, plant-medicine called Ayahuasca. I was in ceremony with her for two weeks. Her spirit changed my whole perspective on this human experience. She took me deep into my subconscious programming and showed me how it works. She shared blue prints and plans that I call cosmic downloads about being a divine, light being in this blak body - this blak mask. This all changed me, so much so that I had to change my life to fit the changes within me. To help this metamorphosis, I took up yoga with a traditional Tantric lineage that deepened the teachings and visions that Aya gave me. The present evolution of my artwork has sprung forth out of these cosmic downloads, wisdom teachings, and illuminations of the lessons that the both Aya and Tantra has brought. My work is an expression of the Divine Mystery, Divinity in form - an exploration of Beauty of this transcendental existence while inhabiting a blak, queer body. I’ve been calling it Cosmic Graffiti. I call it graffiti because its placement on traditional modes of art exhibition feels transgressive. I call it graffiti because in this work I explore belonging and marginalization and the rejection of this blak being and what that means on this journey to remember my wholeness.

I’ve also been playing with dualities like light and darkness. Here I’ve used the deepest darkest blak “void”paint I could find. It absorbs 99 point blah blah blah% light. It’s created in Japan (Musou Black). I’ve been juxtaposing Musou Black with the light from reflective, golden metallic paint. Esoteric, indigenous, fractal, ancestral, and cosmic symbology make appearances in the space as portals into the language of our subconscious, keys to unlock the gifts that are nestled within our deepest fears and desires. These works are meant to be contemplated. Their deeper meanings and connection to your spirit reveal themself over time.