Sepia

[jbseth]

Hi All,

I just came across an interesting conversation that took place between Seth and Rob. This conversation, which can be found in "The Early Sessions", Book 9, Session 424, is about, of all things, the paint color, sepia. What I find interesting in this conversation are the implications of what both Seth and Van Elver, appear to know and not know.



The Early Sessions, Book 9, Session 424: (comments by Seth in red font)

[... 45 paragraphs ...]

Now I am through with what I intended to say. You may end the session or ask any questions that you have. First give me one moment here. (Pause.) This is for you. (To me.) We will try to get it clear. Do not use sepia with too heavy a hand.

[... 11 paragraphs ...]

("Why the comment on sepia?")

This was given to me. I picked it up during the session, and it is a message to you from your other friend.

(The painter, 14th-century Belgian artist Van Elver, a survival personality whose portrait I have painted. See the 401st, 402nd and 414th sessions among others.)

I hope I received it correctly. I was sure of the color but was not positive as to whether you were using it too heavily or not heavily enough. It was simply meant as friendly advice. Give us a moment.

(Pause.) I do not have our friend directly. This is something like a mental message meant for me. (Pause.) There is some reaction with sepia, that can lead to an unpleasantly or undesired purpling effect.

("Yes. I've already noticed that and have worked away from it."

(This effect appeared shortly before vacation, on an experimental head in oil I was working on. Brown was one of the colors used, and could have contributed to the undesirable purplish undertone in the flesh. The effect cropped up before I was aware of it. I cannot be positive the sepia caused the effect without trying some deliberate experiments to see, but certainly it contributed.

(The oil head in question sits in my studio, still unfinished and has been seen by Jane often. One note of interest; technically speaking the oil colors I use contain no color named sepia, specifically, though, of course, a range of earth reds and browns are included. Sepia is a brown. The specific word sepia is more often attached to watercolors, as far as I know, than to oils. Jane also has used both watercolor and oil, as I have; and my watercolors do contain sepia.

(Smile.) Then I did not deliver the message early enough.

("That's all right... I guess that's it for the moment, then.")

Some further here with sepia —to achieve something different now, a sunny clear effect, a newness, a way of applying sepia with white; thin-layered, with a particular kind of varnish... (Pause.

("What kind of varnish?")

We seem to have in answer to your question, strong A sounds... Acqua—but this is not right—Acramont? (Jane looked at me.

("No." I shook my head.)

A kind of varnish made near Akron, Ohio.

("Yes."

(Pause.) It has a tendency to bring out the light tones of the sepia over the dark ones. Subdue the brown and bring out the light.

(This would be admirable technique. As far as I know, Jane doesn't think about painting in such terms.

("Do you mean damar varnish?"

(Pause.) I will have to check.

("I can name other kinds of varnish."

(Jane nodded.) Go ahead.

("Mastic?" I paused.)

List them.

("Well, there's damar, mastic, copal, and some of the new synthetic polymer varnishes.")

I believe it is a new synthetic varnish. Is there an acrylic varnish?

("Yes, there are several kinds, made by Permanent Pigments in Cincinnati—")

Ohio. (Cincinnati is in Ohio.

("Yes.")

Now we are onto it. Can you name those?

("There's a matte acrylic varnish, and a glossy. Also a picture varnish by Grumbacher that contains some synthetic resin—")

I will have to check with our friend, and he is not at this moment available.

("Okay.")

He will make an artist's helper out of me yet.

("Yes.")

In any case, I hope the information was helpful.

("Yes. I wouldn't think Van Elver would know much about brand new varnishes—or would he?")

We are still having difficulties with the name. He is indeed aware of new techniques, for he looks in on you now and then. (Pause.) If you have further questions ask them, or end the session as you prefer.

("I guess we'll have to end it.")


-jbseth

[Deb]

It's interesting to me how Seth would counsel or talk with Jane and Rob about  some of the most mundane things. For the most part, these are the things that were deleted materials that ended up being The Personal Sessions. While the other Seth materials are priceless, there is a lot of invaluable information in the deleted sessions, Early Class Sessions, Unknown Reality, etc.

This information that Van Elver wanted to share with Rob about sepia brings to mind Seth's saying that we communicate and share information with our other incarnations, but usually it's during our dream state. It also makes me think of the explanation behind the World View books, where for instance in the Cezanne book Jane was not channeling the Cezanne personality directly but had tapped into his "world view" which I interpret to be a stream of thought:

"Ruburt's love for Joseph, his own purposes, and his growing questions, along with his interest in painting in general, triggered exactly the kind of stimulus that broke through conventional beliefs about time and knowledge. Ruburt tuned in to Cézanne's "world view." He did not contact Cézanne per se, but Cézanne's comprehension of painting as an art."
—NotP Chapter 3: Session 762, December 15, 1975

But the communication "from" Van Elver to Rob via Seth—I found it interesting that Seth would say, a couple of times in other quotes, that Van Elver was not available for more efficient communication. And yet Van Elver "looked in on" Rob now and then. Very interesting.

I found this painting Rob did of Van Elver in The Seth Materials. I wish we could see the sepia-toned oil painting Rob was working on at the time of the discussion. I sepia-toned Van Elver's portrait just for the fun of it.

[jbseth]

Hi Deb,

Hey, thanks for the reminder on the "world view" idea. That's an interesting concept too.

Also thanks for the image of Van Elver, I was wondering if that was him; and nice touch on the sepia toned image, I love it, very creative.

-jbseth