Sometimes I struggle for the words to define my love of volcanoes. I have always thought of this intersection of art and geology as a tectonic subduction zone where my geological perspective of the world is pulled, melted, and molded into expressions of art.
I’ve thought of coining a new word to describe my enthusiastic devotion to volcanoes – both in art and science. I believe it is a form of theology, which is defined as rational inquiry into religious questions. A person who studies, or is well-versed in theology, is a theologian, therefore I’ve coined the term “Geologian” to describe those for whom the study of geology is a form of spiritual inquiry.

I am not the first or the only one to be so captivated. I’ve watched many people react to their first view of flowing lava in a similar way – a silent reverence. Historically, many cultures have incorporated volcanoes into their religions or mythology. The study of the religious, mythological and sociological perspectives of geological events and processes has been termed “Geomythology,” and is defined by Dorothy Vialiano in her book, Legends of the Earth.

Part of my process of understanding is to immerse myself in science…recently I’ve been reading technical journal articles about current theories about mantle plumes. More often than not I come back to those writers who can articulate the science in terms any of us can understand – my favorites have been Robert & Barbara Decker (their short book, Volcanoes, is one of the best). But science alone doesn’t explain my passion.

Through art we seek to capture the spirit of place, and express it in many different ways – photographs, paintings, poems, sculptures and quilts, novels and myths, stories both real and imagined. I have dedicated a great deal of my life to photographing, writing about and viewing volcanoes around the world. I know I am not the only one – or even the most accomplished of the geologians in this world. I look forward to hearing from others--if you might consider yourself in this category, please send me a link to your art, or writing, or other expression of your love for volcanoes.