The artwork on this page is a culmination of a variety of styles, mediums, and techniques my students have used to express themselves.
They were inspired by the many cultural ideas and concepts they learned about in class, as well as their own life experiences and beliefs.
I am always amazed and humbled by the imaginative way they interpret the assignments they are given during the school year and am proud of their accomplishments.
I am blessed to have the honor of sharing my knowledge with them as they each explore their unique creative abilities and talents.
*The following artist is available for drawing, painting, and ceramic commissions by contacting him directly:
Ceramic Artist – Diego Olivares Castillo (DOC)
Phone # (702) 666-2870 Email – [email protected]
These ceramic projects were created by artist Diego Olivares Castillo aka “DOC” using clay, glaze, paint and other materials. They were inspired by a variety of themes such as philosophy, animal totems, cultures, mythology, beliefs, etc. that Diego feels are an important part of his soul’s journey.
Diego first entered my classroom during the beginning of his senior year in high school. The term had begun a few weeks prior and he missed most of the introductory material and class demonstrations. That didn’t seem to matter because he caught on so quickly and impressed me with his imagination, skill, and enthusiasm. His first projects were two pinch pots and he did an extraordinary job on both;
Diego was so inspired by his first successes that he quickly began creating his next project, which was a wall hanging mask that was inspired by the Mesoamerican God named Quetzalcoatl.
Continuing with the Mesoamerican theme, Diego’s next endeavor was creating a coil pot pitcher based on both Mayan and Aztec Gods and Goddesses with various spiritual attributes. As I observed him developing his creations, it felt as though he was channeling some ancestral wisdom…
His attention to detail was evident all throughout his artistic journey as seen below;
Diego’s younger brother Adrian, who is also a talented student of mine, was instrumental in his brother’s enrollment in my class as he convinced him to try it out. Adrian was a freshman in another course I teach which explores different cultures around the world with corresponding hands on art projects. The following year he enrolled in my ceramics class and has developed his own unique style ever since.
Diego and Adrian collaborated on projects that they made for family members. It was really fun to observe them working together on such meaningful pieces;
The next creative project that Diego poured his heart and soul into was what could be considered his “Magnum Opus” (great work) of the year, his Kaballion Clay Narrative Wall Hanging. The objective of the lesson was to create a clay narrative based on a story, song, or poem. Being inspired by the wisdom teachings of Thoth/Hermes Trismigestus, Diego created his masterpiece to express an original poem he wrote based on a book attributed to Thoth/Hermes known as The Kyballion.
The Kybalion (published in 1908 by the pseudonymous “Three Initiates”) teaches Hermetic Philosophy based on both Greek and Egyptian teachings. The premise of the book is that the universe is a mental creation and it explores seven universal principles used for personal transformation, manifestation, and mastering one’s mental states.
1. Mentalism: “The All is Mind; the Universe is Mental.” – everything in existence is ultimately a projection of an infinite, universal mind. Since reality is mental, our own thoughts and beliefs have the power to shape our experiences.
2. Correspondence: “As above, so below; as below, so above.” – there is a harmony and correlation between the different planes of existence (physical, mental, and spiritual). Patterns repeat across all scales, meaning understanding yourself helps you understand the macrocosm.
3. Vibration: “Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates.” – everything in the universe is in a constant state of motion. By understanding how to shift your own mental vibrations, you can change how you experience life and influence the world around you.
4. Polarity: “Everything is dual; everything has poles… opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree.” – opposites are just the two extremes of the same thing (e.g., hot and cold are the same thing, just at varying degrees). You can master your emotions by learning to slide up and down the scale rather than being trapped at the extremes.
5. Rhythm: “Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides… rhythm compensates.” – life operates in cycles—action and reaction, rise and fall, swing and sway. Hermetists learn to use the “Law of Neutralization” to rise above the negative swings of rhythm using mental mastery.
6. Cause and Effect: “Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause; everything happens according to Law.” – the masses are often pushed around by environmental causes, masters learn to operate from a higher level, becoming the causers rather than the effects.
7. Gender: “Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine and Feminine Principles.” – masculine and feminine energies are present on all planes of existence (physical, mental, and spiritual) and are required for all creation and generation.
DOC’s Kaballion
Yin is Woman, and Yang is Man. The all is mind the uni-verse is mental, we’re all in this together nothing is coincidental. It can’t be dogmatism, pay very close attention this is simply mentalism. The pendulum swings its a balanced hypnotism.
As Above so below, or as within so without. That’s the next principle they call it correspondence. Exhausted of redundance, we’re all searching for abundance.
Every single human looking for illumination, nothing is at rest always moving that’s vibration. Looking for a right morality, life death, immortality, everything has poles, a pair of opposites, duality.
Everything has tides, all things rise and fall. Don’t call yourself small, fix your algorithm. Can’t you already tell everything in them has rhythm.
Cause and effect also knows ad karma, do yourself a favor, don’t believe in all the dogma. Everything in the world follow these laws. Every cause has its effect, every effect has its cause.
Thats just action and reaction, living in a world full of abstraction. Masculine and feminine manifesting on all planes of reality. Nothing to do with sexuality. The last principle is Gender and there’s simply no technicality.
Wake up and become a reality bender. All we have to do is just question and surrender. Yeshua an example of a Buddha, both awakened. Thoth and the snake been trying to tell us since the start, we’re all children of the sun. We’re all God’s son. – DOC (Diego Olivares Castillo)
Diego’s final project of the year was the result of a lesson I taught the class about the four categories of animal totems (spirit guides); life, journey, message, and shadow. It was truly inspiring to watch him create this awesome vessel which incorporates his personal totems; serpent, crocodile, hummingbird, and bee.
“I bring into existence stories based on inspiration and transformation inside of my imagination, subsequently constructing and developing intricate mind bending thought inciting abstract creations” – DOC (Diego Olivares Castillo)