Pareidolia

Pareidolia is our tendency to perceive an image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern. Our perception imposes meaningful interpretations on a nebulous stimuli, so we see objects or meaning where there is none. For example, in a Rorschach test, a viewer describes what he/she sees in inkblots, revealing unconscious thoughts. I often see figures in my paintings, and animals. They are both important in my life. Pareidolia comesfrom German Pareidolie, based on Greek, par, meaning closely related to, and eidolon, meaning image, or reflection. Eidolon can also be a spirit-image, a phantom or look-alike of a human form.