CREATIVE GEOMETRY SALON
Monthly sessions on Saturday afternoons, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
September 14, October 12, November 9, December 21, 2019
January 11, February 22, March 14, June 6, 2020 (CANCELLED)
April 18, 2020, 1:30 – 2:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
May 16, 2020,1:30 – 2:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
July 11, 2020,1:30 – 3:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
August 8, 2020 (ONLINE via ZOOM)
$5 suggested donation per session via VIRTUAL DONATION BASKET (click here)
SRI YANTRA
August 8, 2020, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
ONLINE via Zoom
Pre-registration required. Click here to register for this Zoom session.
$5 suggested donation per session via VIRTUAL DONATION BASKET (click here)
A yantra is a meditation diagram based on the metaphysical aspect of cosmic structure. The Sri Yantra is sometimes called the mother or queen of yantras, symbolizing the interwoven, balanced web of creation. In this class we will construct the inner aspect of the yantra, a series of nine interlinked triangles arranged around a central point, the bindu. The five upward pointing triangles represent the male aspect, Shiva; the four that point downward represent the female aspect, Shakti. There are seven points where the apex of one triangle touches the base of another, representing the seven chakras. Meditation on the diagram is said to bring centeredness, relaxation, and ultimately elevation of consciousness.
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You will need the following tools and supplies to participate in this workshop: a drawing compass, straight edge, white paper (at least 8 1/2″ x 11″), tracing paper, pencil, and eraser. Other artistic tools are also encouraged, such as, colored pencils, inks, or watercolors.
Creative Geometry Salon meets monthly to explore the intersection of art and geometry. We will draw patterns from the Vedic tradition, Islamic culture, Cosmati patterns, Rose Windows, the planetary seals of Rudolf Steiner (based on a seven pointed star). Other topics have included projective geometry, classical constructions, form drawing, and more.
Our main presenters are Steve Pomerantz, John Lloyd, Steve Bass, and Kelly Beekman. We rotate facilitators to lead discussions and drawing through a range of examples drawn from history.
Accessible to people with all levels of drawing experience. Bring your imagination… and a ruler, compass, paper, pencils. Additional materials that could be useful include: colored pencils, watercolors, and paper at least 8 1/2” x 11”. We will have some extra supplies for people who need them.
We will be meeting in a beautiful sunny room generously provided by Anthroposophy NYC. (We are requesting a $5 contribution from everyone to cover the use of the space.)
Upcoming Sessions
Keep in touch for the dates in autumn!
Past Sessions
Tree of Life (June 11, 2020): 1:30 – 3:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
The diagram of the Tree of Life in Kabbalah is part of a tradition that historically goes back at least to the exile of the Israelites to Babylon around 800 BC, although it was not called Kabbalah at that time.
This tradition of tree of life also relates to the universal idea in many cultures of a sacred tree. This tree is represented as the tree with the fruit of knowledge in the garden of Eden, the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment, the pine tree that represents peace in the Iroquois tradition, and many other examples from around the world.
This Kabbalistic diagram also represents the Temple of Jerusalem, the solar system, the geography of the Holy Land, the human body (similar to the chakras), a map of how to free yourself from the land of bondage, Jacob’s ladder, a stairway to heaven, and a chariot, which carries the practitioner to various spiritual states.
In the world of the child’s imagination, this tree appears in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and the game of hopscotch.
We will draw this diagram borrowing from the traditions of Kabbalah, and do a couple of simple exercises to get a psychological understanding of the 10 sephirot (10 circles in the diagram that represents different points of view), and look at some of the 22 possible pathways that connect the sephirot and how they balance each other.
Pentagons (May 16, 2020): 1:30 – 2:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
Jupiter Seal (April 18, 2020): 1:30 – 2:30 pm (ONLINE via Zoom)
Due to the closure of the space at Anthroposophy NYC, we were unable to meet in person. Our Geometry Salon was held via Zoom. Kelly Beekman, who has been teaching Steiner’s Planetary Seals, was available to give the participants initial directions and support them in their work from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. She guided them through the new instruction packet and help answer the questions to begin the work.
(Image: Jupiter Seal)
You can download the work packets from the three Planetary Seal workshops:
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Sun Seal (February 22, 2020)
Kelly Beekman, an artist and educator, was introducing the participants to the Sun Seal, designed by Rudolf Steiner as a part of the 7 planetary seals series, created and carved nearly 100 years ago. They are based on a heptagon (a seven-sided geometric form). We will learn to draw them and explore their meaning to us today. (Image: Sun Seal)
We will continue to explore planetary seals on the Creative Geometry Salon gatherings on February 22 and March 14, 2020.
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Saturn Seal (January 11, 2020)
On January 11, Kelly Beekman, an artist and educator introduced us to the Saturn Seal, designed by Rudolf Steiner as a part of the 7 planetary seals series, created and carved nearly 100 years ago. They are based on a heptagon (a seven-sided geometric form). We learnt to draw them and explore their meaning to us today.
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Cosmati Designs (December 21, 2019)
Designs within concentric circles are a standard motif in Cosmatesque design. Artist and PhD Mathematician Steve Pomerantz will be introducing us to Cosmati mosaic patterns constructed in the 12th Century, which adorn many Italian churches. Learn to draw a canonical example, the Quincunx.
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Rose Windows (November 9, 2019)
Rose Windows are popular in churches based on a Gothic style. Infinite in their variety, we will construct some typical examples.
Architect Steve Bass will lead us in an exploration of the underlying geometry of the Gothic cathedral with a focus on the 12-fold rose window.
Steve Bass is an architect and an author who teaches at the Institute of Classical Architecture and has taught at the University of Notre Dame from 2006 to 2008. Signed copies of his book Beauty Memory Unity: A Theory of Proportion in Architecture will be available in the bookstore.
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Dodecagon (October 12, 2019)
Steve Pomerantz was guiding us in exploring Dodecagon patterns (patterns generated by dividing the circle into 12) from the Islamic tradition.
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Vedic Squares (September 14, 2019)
With John Lloyd, we worked with Vedic Squares, a variation on a typical 9×9 multiplication table which is a source of many Islamic patterns and symmetric art patterns.
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