Red Man
Written on a scrap of paper: “…one of those blinding insights into the totally obvious, was the realization that at their mystical core the great religions are actually roadmaps for the induction of transcendent states of consciousness.” — Niki Broyles. While she wasn’t particularly interested in labeling herself, in the 1980s the genre of visionary art was a natural fit; Niki had been painting her visions of inner truths and the soul’s journey to higher consciousness since the late 1960s.
Big Rose
Acrylic on canvas painting with gold leaf by Niki Broyles. Paintings from the artist’s Visionary period express themes of higher consciousness, nature connection and peaceful surrender. Beautiful beings inhabit naturalistic landscapes that are evocative of ancient worlds or other dimensions. Is the gold cord in this painting an etheric energy cord, an umbilical cord, or one in the same? Is the pool of water a geographic clue, a lake, a land mass… does it allude to Celtic ritual or places? She shows us the answers.
Carrot Man
Acrylic on canvas painting by Niki Broyles. The simplicity of Niki’s painting titles invites the viewer to interpret the symbolism freely, take from it what they need, recognize parts of themselves, or simply experience the work viscerally. She referred to herself the instrument and painted without intention. The figures aren’t intended to be persons, yet the power of magical realism compels us to identify them. If you feel the pull, look to Cornwall, England, and the story of Tristan and Isolde. A place where ancients sailed to procur tin, a short ride to Stonehenge, a reason to celebrate the circle.
Flowers 2 with Moth Lady
Acrylic on canvas painting by Niki Broyles. Beginning with a pencil sketch on canvas, the artist illustrated in a process of free association. The sketch was finalized with ink and an airbrush was used to spray an energy aura. Niki enjoyed tending many varieties of flowers. In the realm of her artwork, fairies are small energetic beings with the wings of butterflies or moths. While angels are larger, of human size, and wear the wings of birds, of herons specifically. These impressions are memories that connect us to the circle, and inform the narrative of The Egg and the Unicorn, book three of the series.
The Egg #2
Acrylic on canvas painting by Niki Broyles. Niki pulls back her sleeve to show us the egg, an invitation to understand her sacred rite. She has manifested the fuller reality of the divine soul, imagining the perfect and infinite versions of her family. Her allegory shows us that everyone has the potential to manifest that spark of divinity; a loving closeness that goes beyond our physical reality to realize the bliss of unity with all things.