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William Blake is considered one of the greatest artists and poets of the English language, yet he lived most of his life in poverty. Why? Many of his acquaintances considered him mad while friends who knew his art considered him ‘brilliantly mad’. What was so different about Blake? Join me on this William Blake series as we pry open the mind of this celebrated creative genius to find the true meaning of his enigmatic works.

View the companion gallery for this episode here, including read-along version of the poems: ⁠https://mjdorian.com/blake/

What happens to Alexander McQueen when he achieves his life’s dream? Is he able to continue creating inspired collections in spite of the intense pressures of global fame? What are the personal meanings behind his most iconic collections? And what leads to his tragic end?

We will explore all of those questions and much more on this finale to the McQueen series.

View the companion gallery for this episode here: ⁠⁠⁠https://mjdorian.com/mcqueen/

More than anything else in the world, Alexander McQueen at 21 years old wants to be a fashion designer. He embarks on a bold journey to flip the fashion industry on its head. But what makes his early collections so revolutionary and controversial? And what leads to him being ‘discovered’?

View the companion gallery for this episode (including the video of McQueen’s graduate collection) here: ⁠⁠https://mjdorian.com/mcqueen/⁠

A deep-dive guide to the symbolism of Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. This episode focuses on decoding the esoteric symbolism of the exterior panels and panels 1 & 2 of Bosch’s most infamous triptych. View a high resolution version of The Garden of Earthly Delights online: http://boschproject.org/view.html?pointer=0.426,0.005&i=00MCPVIS

Footage from Alexander McQueen’s graduate collection: Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims. Collection shown in July 1992 for Central St. Martins graduate show. This is a reference video for the Alexander McQueen series. I posted it on the Creative Codex YouTube channel because I did not find it freely available anywhere else online.

How does a boy from a working class London background with no connections to the fashion industry go on to become one of the greatest fashion designers of all time? This is the story of Lee Alexander McQueen.

Join me as we dive into the life and work of one of the most celebrated and controversial designers of the 21st century.

What is your relationship to matter? On this episode–the fourth and final episode in the Jung & Alchemy series–we journey to the heart of alchemy. Through studying examples in alchemy we answer these questions: What are archetypes? What is the collective unconscious? What is individuation?

And the question to end all questions on the matter: What happens when you practice alchemy? Does it confirm Jung’s theories? Let’s find out.

Join me for a journey back to a time when alchemy was revered by Kings & Queens and practiced in the courts of nobles. A time when Prague was the alchemical capital of the world–drawing occultists to it from all of Europe, and ruled by a King who supported esoteric spiritual practices. Along the way we will find direct parallels between Jung’s Red Book and the work of the alchemists, leading us to Jung’s most misunderstood psychotherapeutic method: active imagination.

Listen to Part III on Spotify (or in your preferred podcast player).

This is Part 2 of the Carl Jung & Alchemy series. On this episode, we dive beneath the surface in search of the River of Gold. Topics covered include: the essential concepts of alchemy, alchemical artwork, Jung’s theory regarding the projection of unconscious material, inexplicable dreams with alchemical symbolism, the paradox of consciousness & matter, and the unique role of revelation in alchemy. Listen to this episode in your favorite podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1430850607

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://mjdorian.com/transcripts/

To better understand the beauty and complexity of alchemy, I’ve put together a special page on this site. It includes an article I’ve written titled: Rudiments of Alchemy, which explains the basic concepts every alchemist first learns.

I have also prepared two galleries of alchemical art, both of which contain the highest quality scans of these beautiful artworks. You won’t find anything better online, believe me, I’ve looked. Head over to the alchemy resources page here: https://mjdorian.com/alchemy/

What is alchemy? Where does it come from? When did it begin? What does Jung find in alchemy? What does it represent to him that is so important, so profound, that it causes him to abandon his inspired work of the Red Book? It’s time to find out.

Listen to Part I on Spotify (or in your preferred podcast player).

This is Part 2 of a three part series about the legend of performance art: Marina Abramović. On this episode, we explore her intense relationship and art partnership with Ulay. The narrative weaves its way through their thirteen year collaboration, focusing on their early years, first performances together, and their Art Vital manifesto which encapsulated their life and art.

This is Part 1 of a three part series about the legend of performance art: Marina Abramović. On this episode, we explore her childhood, Marina’s first forays into art, and her controversial Rhythm series. In a first for podcasting, we explore her performance art through sonic simulations of the works as they are discussed.

The Hell Panel of Hieronymus Bosch is considered the most infamous depiction of Hell in art history. On this episode, we venture deeper into Bosch’s Hell than anyone has ever ventured before. At its depths we will find philosophical insights, critiques of the Catholic Church, and Bosch’s visionary creative genius on full display. (Listen on Spotify to view a video companion for this episode.)

Hieronymus Bosch created one of the strangest and most talked about paintings in art history: The Garden of Earthly Delights. But there is a riddle hidden in the harden: is it an idyllic paradise or a sinful false paradise? On this episode, we will diver deeper than anyone has before to search for the answer. (Listen on Spotify for a special video companion to the episode.)

Exactly one month ago, I signed up to test drive Midjourney–an A.I. art generation program. The results left me feeling excited and terrified. On this video, I share many of the reflections I’ve had while exploring what Midjourney can do and the implications of the much broader implementation of A.I. creativity

The ‘artworks’ featured in this video were all generated by me over the last month, through Midjourney. (Except Jason Allen’s Colorado State Fair piece.) Each ‘artwork’ only required an interesting text prompt, with occasional modifiers, and was then generated by the Ai within 60 seconds.

Is this art? Is this creativity or is this complex mimicry?

Imagine if you were a student of Leonardo da Vinci during the height of the Renaissance? What would you learn? All the secrets of oil painting, the hidden proportions of human anatomy, Leonardo’s philosophy of life…? Let’s find out.

Today in Creative History: August 18th, 1969, Jimi Hendrix plays a visionary rendition of The Star Spangled Banner for a stunned audience at Woodstock. This special minisode explores what Hendrix did and why it mattered.

Join me on a journey into the unparalleled mind of Leonardo da Vinci, on this deep dive exploration of his infamous notebooks. Included below is a companion gallery for the episode.

This is a companion video I produced about Dr. Carl Jung’s pivotal 1913 visions, which inspired him to pursue the work of The Red Book. The details about these visions come from his autobiography: Memories, Dreams, Reflections. You can listen to the full episode in the podcast feed, episodes 11 & 12. You can listen to Creative Codex on your preferred podcast player here: https://plinkhq.com/i/1430850607

The ‘River of Blood’ vision, which takes hold of Jung in October 1913, signals the beginning of a phase of his life which he will later call his ‘confrontation with the unconscious.’ It will be the time period during which he writes Liber Novus–otherwise known as The Red Book.

Dr. Carl Jung’s Red Book is available in a full-size facsimile edition and a reader’s edition.

Leonor Fini did not limit art to the confines of the frame, for her, it spilled out into all of life itself.

Join me on a masquerade through Fini’s imagination. Along the way we will witness a battle of wits between Dalí and Fini, we will also appreciate selected artworks from Fini’s mid-to-late career and interview Lissa Rivera, the curator for the first Leonor Fini retrospective exhibition in the USA.

View the Companion Gallery for this episode: https://mjdorian.com/fini/

Leonor Fini was one of the most prolific and mysterious artists of the 20th century. Her career spans an impressive 67 years, she completed over 1,100 oil paintings, and her art was featured in over 350 international gallery exhibitions during her lifetime. Yet she is virtually unknown to us today. Her art and career are shrouded with the mystery of a sphinx’s riddle. This is the story of Leonor Fini, one of the 20th century’s great creative geniuses.

Visit the companion gallery for this episode: https://mjdorian.com/fini/

On this episode, we will conclusively answer this question: why was Gnosticism so important to Dr. Carl Jung?

Along the way, we will dive deep into Sermons 5 thru 7 to answer these questions: what is the relationship between spirituality and sexuality? How does Jung’s libido theory differ from Freud’s libido theory? What is the significance of the dove and the serpent in religious symbolism? According to the Seven Sermons to the Dead: what is the goal of life?

When the Nazi Party came to power in Germany, in 1933, one of their first goals was to reshape culture by force. The Nazis organized book burnings, stormed artist studios, confiscating work they disagreed with, and fired contemporary artists from teaching positions in universities. The goal was to place limits on human expression–an ominous display for what was to come.

Visit the companion gallery for this episode here: https://mjdorian.com/dangerous/

In this episode, we continue our quest to understand it the way Jung understood it, exploring Sermons 2 & 3. We will attempt to answer these questions: Who is Abraxas? Why is he a god above gods? Who is Basilides? Why does Jung credit him as the writer of the Seven Sermons?

And what leads Jung to have this creative breakthrough? Does it come from a point of inner turmoil or inspired grace? It’s time we find out.

This ink illustration was inspired by Carl Jung’s Seven Sermons to the Dead and the Gnostic Scriptures associated with it. Abraxas is an endlessly fascinating ‘god above gods,’ and in this rendition, I present my own reflections on the symbolism.

In 1916, Dr. Carl Jung experienced a strange phenomenon that possessed him with tremendous creative force. The experience inspired him to write a philosophical & psychological scripture he called: The Seven Sermons to the Dead.

This is Jung’s most mystifying work. On this special episode, we will dive deep into Sermons One and Two, to attempt to understand this rare creative work the way that Jung understood it.

Does boredom play an important role in creativity? If so, is technology ridding our lives of boredom at a perilous cost? On this Creativity Tip minisode, the truth gets ‘curiouser and curiouser.’ Along the way we explore research in neuroscience regarding the Default Mode Network, and psychological research that potentially proves the link between boredom and creativity.

On this episode we sit down with multi-talented singer / songwriter: L’FREAQ. (Also known as Lea Cappelli.) We dive deep into all of the most interesting topics: Does creativity feed on despair and depression? How do you get to the gold? What is L’FREAQ’s songwriting process? Do you hear music on the cusp of sleep?

Is art dangerous? On this minisode, I share a personal story about the art project that almost killed me. I call this: The Devil Wood Incident. This is Exhibit A in a miniseries exploring the theme: Art Is Dangerous.

You can read the article I wrote about the harrowing experience here: https://mjdorian.com/devil-wood/

All four episodes of the Vincent Series are now available! You can enjoy the Companion Galleries I’ve put together for each time period of Vincent’s life and work covered in the series here: https://mjdorian.com/vincent/

Countless hours and late nights were spent researching and reading Vincent & Theo’s letters to paint the most accurate depiction of the human being behind the icon. I hope you enjoy.

Our story begins in the late 1800’s, with one of history’s most beloved artists: Vincent van Gogh. In between bouts of debilitating psychotic episodes, Vincent paints 141 masterful paintings during his yearlong stay in St. Paul’s mental asylum. All of these 141 paintings are made while he is of ‘sound’ mind… except one. This is a special video episode about that self portrait. Is it the most disturbing painting of all time? Let’s find out.

On this special episode, we dive into the full truth about the most infamous event in art history: Vincent van Gogh’s ear incident. The ‘ear incident’ serves as a catalyst event, which signals the onset of a mental affliction which will torment Vincent van Gogh for his final three years. Paradoxically, at the same time his mental health is in decline, his paintings are showing the signs of a creative genius.

Can madness and genius be contained in one individual? Can psychosis and the rarest artistry be contained in one mind?

These contradictions pervade the story of Vincent van Gogh. And in the final three years of his life, they culminate in a whirlwind.

I’m excited to share the first episode in a three part special on Vincent van Gogh. It is an unbelievable story of madness, genius, tragedy, and human affection.

I have created a special companion gallery of selected works from the first seven years of Vincent’s paintings. Explore them here: https://mjdorian.com/vincent/

In 1948, Salvador Dali wrote a notorious treatise with the intention to “save modern art from chaos and laziness.” On this feature length episode, we explore Salvador Dali’s 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship.

We focus on ten essential secrets from this bizarre treatise including: the secret of the painter’s pointed mustache, the sleep technique known as the ‘slumber with a key’, rules for lovemaking, and many more! So did he succeed in saving modern art with Dalinian magic? Let’s find out!

I have felt a certain affinity to the Goddess Athena in recent years. This ink piece served as a meditation and devotional work to her. It includes all her timeless symbols, including the helmet, the gorgon snake decorated armor, and her animal: the little owl.

Her helmet is based on the descriptions of the Athena Parthenos statue by the ancient historian: Pausanias, who describes it as having a sphinx likeness in the center and griffins in relief on the sides.

Join us for Part 2 of this two episode podcast special, as we dive deep into the enigmatic mind of Emily Dickinson. In this episode, we explore her creative process, her most intimate letters, the mysterious details about her illness, and the secret to her creative genius: solitude.

The first ink piece in a series of Tarot Variations I hope to explore in the coming months. Hand illustrated with black ink on watercolor paper, inspired by the style of traditional woodcuts.

On this special episode, we dive headfirst into the enigmatic genius of Emily Dickinson. We explore what makes her poetry so brilliant, her strained relationship with religion, the challenges she faced living in a Puritanical town in the mid 1800’s, and the influence her uniquely distinguished family had on her work.

In 1944, the psychologist Carl Jung experienced a vision that transcended any others he had during his life: it was his near death experience. On this mini-episode, we dive into Jung’s written account of the experience, pairing it with original music, and we explore the implications it presents in the context of the clinical phenomena of NDEs (Near Death Experiences) and Western esoteric traditions.

Join me in the art studio of painter, mural artist, and Renaissance man: Beau Stanton. We discuss symbolism, the ability of art to move the unconscious, incorporating historical elements in your work, how Beau plans a mural, what happens if you stop making art, his early apprenticeship experiences with Ron English, and Beau’s personal art philosophy.

The Middle Pillar is a meditation popularized in the 1930’s by the writer and ceremonial magician, Israel Regardie.

In this exclusive video on the CREATIVE CODEX YouTube Channel, we explore a guided meditation using  the precise instructions laid out by Israel Regardie in his book: The Middle Pillar.