BabalonAndBaphomet

From a very early age I've been interested in the occult, it's esoteric meanderings as well as testing if it could be used as an applied tool for creating real and measurable change.  I've always been enchanted by sorcery in fantasy;  stories of esp, vampires and werewolves, skin-changers, the immortals, and the hermetic warlocks gathering away in darkened halls and manipulating world events from within a far removed corner of space and time.  I've been so fortunate to learn that these things do exist in the real world, and my nerves shake with awe and admiration when I meet these people.  Very real sorcerers, wizards and witches both, cultivating strange and alien skills and powers from the very secret depths of their souls.  For me any time I'm exposed to a being that has perfected a skill, and then applied that cultivation for objective witness, I know I'm in the presence of real magic.

As a teen I was introduced to The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey, who founded the Church of Satan in 1966 (churchofsatan.com).  I immediately identified with the text, found that I was a Satanist, and joined the CoS when I was 18.  Since that time, through my studies and experience, I found that my art and magic have become a singularity, and that I seem to be using it as an alchemical process.  There is something profound and god-like in taking dirt and oil and using it to create images that reveal ideas that can shape minds ind inspire imagination.  On the flip side I've also found that once a painting is complete I can normally expect a profound effect or change in the world or my personal life to take place.  The work becomes a foreshadowing of things to come.  As Above so Below.

The images that I produce are generally informed by either archetypes that I create and use through ritual magic, people whose quirks and/or magnetism inspire me, or my experiments into psi phenomena, astral travel, and dream manipulation.  I am the sinner that creates graven images.

In the last 21 years of my waking life I have made my living primarily as a portrait photographer.  I have had the honor to have worked with and for many experts in my field absorbing everything I could from them.  They must remain nameless for now, but a few are very well known.  I am the sinner that steals men's souls.

I'm hoping to share some photography here in the future as well.  But for now I hope that my work brings you as much pleasure as it brings me to create it, and I want to sincerely thank all of the amazing creators here, true magicians all, that use their skills to make this oft-times miserable reality a more habitable space for us all.  You are loved, please keep creating.

CVW - 2020