I’ve been obsessed with the Mayan history, culture, art, prophecies, and religion since ancient history class. The Maya are an intriguingly industrious and detail oriented civilization with a central focus on astronomy. This is usually where the reference to the Mayan calendar and the year 2012 come into play. For those who think it is a doomsday prophecy, all I can say is you need to do some homework. This coming of age and end to their provincial eon cyclical calendar is simply a shift in the ‘chaosmic’ energy and it’s extended effect on current global societies mind set and states. It is this reverberation of energies spit across the galaxy and into our world that seems to feed the planets ancient ways and not allow us to get too far away from the bigger picture.

Archeologists claim that the Maya began counting time as of August 31, 3114 B.C. This is called the zero year and is likened to January 1, AD. All dates in the Long Count begin there, so the date of the beginning of this time cycle is written 13-0-0-0-0. That means 13 cycles of 400 years will have passed before the next cycle begins, which is December 27, 2012. The new cycle will begin as 1-0-0-0-0. This is my Roman Numeral reference of MMXII. The calendar itself was divided into cycles 3 million years long, subdivided into units of 20 years, 400, 8,000 and 158,000 years. There were also subunits for marking the death and rebirth of the sun and fire. Rituals punctuated the cycles and acted like the needles of a clock, marking the passage of time. This is where the Mayan games and sacrifices would typically take place.

The death god was called Yum Cimil. He also could be called Ah Puch, the god of the Underworld. His body is predominantly skeletal. I like to depict the dark lord as more of a warrior and give him scales somewhat representative of a serpent. Yum Cimil is my go to evil-guy for this piece. Solely dedicated to the chaos of which was likely the end of the Maya development. He is depicted in MMXII reigning the mouth of an odd serpent head. The maya vision serpent symbolizes the passage of ancestral spirits and the gods of Xibalba (the maya underworld) into our world. In states of ecstasy and usually following bloodletting, particularly as graphically depicted at Yaxchilan, maya mobility invoke the vision serpent. The vision serpent can be the vehicle by which ancestors or deities make themselves manifest to humanity.

MMXII ©2010 Nick Beery

Below the strange serpent head is a jaguar which is also represented at the upper right hand corner. Mayans believed that four jaguars, called bacabs, held up the sky at each corner of the earth. Every bacab had a different color. Each corner represented a cardinal direction. Each direction had a color: east-red; north-white; west-black; south-yellow. Green was the center. This is why you will find several jaguar heads at each corner of the piece.

To the left of Yum Cimil is Cizin, “Stinking One”. Cizin is the Mayan earthquake god and god of death, ruler of the subterranean land of the dead. He lives beneath the earth in a purgatory where all souls except those of soldiers killed in battle and women who died in childbirth spend some time. Cizin is often depicted holding a smoking cigarette. My Cizin is adorned with a falcon’s head and a rolled smoke.

Click any of the photos below for a full view of close ups and detail shots.

It is now ever present with the onslaught of technology in our lives that we are blinded to see what the Maya knew as constant energy around us. While your busy texting, blogging, playing video games, and talking on your cell while watching television you just missed out on the true energy that provides you with the will to keep going. It’s like stepping out into the bright sun in spring after a harsh grey winter. We need to stay tuned in to the cosmos, our galaxy, the seasons, and slow down just enough to not turn our backs on the star dust that is truly our heritage.

For an excellent reading into the Maya and educated, somewhat scientific meanings behind the culture and calendar I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Mayan Code.

King Kong Chaos ©2010 Nick Beery

Below is a gallery of detailed angles and close ups.

King Kong Chaos is available for purchase. Interested parties please contact me for pricing and display specifics. Hoo-hoo-haaa-haaa-haaa!

Cthulhu Hobo ©2010 Nick Beery

Here are some of the process photos and detail close ups…

Scum Bag ©2010 Nick Beery

Some close ups…

When I work on these smaller wood panels the weapon of choice is a few tiny micron pens. These pieces usually contain a smattering of tiny details, hidden elements, and are really all about the execution. Armed with a #2 0.30mm and #5 0.45mm micron I methodically hash out the details with a variation of lines similar to that of Tony Millionaire and R Crumb. Tying this stylization in with the tubular streamlined bodies of 1930′s animation helps create a fluidity of motion in the characters.

Finger Food ©2010 Beery Method

More to come from the Beery ink factory!