Nobody deserves the ‘outsider’ tag more than Roger Williamson Marchant-Taylor. Completely self-taught, mysteriously moved in his 40’s to take up the brush, gloriously isolated from mainstream curatorial prerogatives–the founder and proprietor of Magus Books and Herbs paints for no one but himself. Even if every other mammal stepped off the planet, he’d almost surely go on doing his Muses’ dirty work. Yet the artist hasn’t a single naive bone in his body. And while (the odd portrait excepted) he strictly depicts images from his own rich inner life, Williamson, like the universe itself, loathes stasis. Wanderlust and constant self-transformation figure in every aspect of the UK transplant’s life, from his ongoing exploration of ceremonial magic, shamanism, and a few dozen related disciplines to his nine published books–but they’re the driving forces behind the oils and pastels.

 

Equally adept at tweaking received themes and representing newly broached regions of his deepest psyche, Williamson defies cookie-cutter assumptions about visionary artists simply by following his heart. Neither prophet nor poet the painter most often finds (and/or loses) himself playing journalist/spy in some of quantum reality’s diciest opportunity zones, intent on bringing us everything Prometheus didn’t.  He is the author of The Sun at Night, Labyrinth: Tales of a Rite of Passage, Lucifer’s: A Basic Handbook of Luciferian Sorcery, The Black Book of the Jackal, On The Arrival of the Machine, Calling up the Spirits, Howling at the Sky, Lucifer Diaries and The Tarot of the Morning Star 22 card deck and book – Rod Smith.