Leap of Faith
From $3,600.00
Oil on Panel, 44″ X 44″
Ltd. Edition Print
Ltd.Edition 50
Features
Children are born innately connected to and curious about Nature, the animal kingdom, other humans and freedom. They have the expectation of being cared for and loved by those responsible for them. With these things in mind I painted the image of the big brown bear being kissed on the nose by the little princess girl. There is so much that can be interpreted but for me it was a leap of faith that we must resurrect as we mature, especially when faced with cynicism and fear. As an artist and an uplifter in my heart, I paint to inspire, console and have an intimate message with the viewer. Come closer and see the details life offers that are worthy of pushing the pause button.
I’m a lover of the octopus. They are initiators of change, dynamic and emotional. They are elusive and will allow an interaction only if there is trust, faith in your intentions. The one in this work is from a photo taken in Croatia by Martin Strmiska who gave me permission to paint it.
Steve McCurry is my all-time favorite cultural photographer who has published iconic photos that are emotionally and physically gorgeous. The image of suspended monks, hanging only by their feet fascinated me and he generously gave permission to me to paint it. This image kicked off a flurry of ideas that unearthed a feeling of vulnerability that I have when working and I can only continue when I have faith in the image and the compelling desire to paint it, especially when given permission by stellar photographers, architects, and artists to include in the storyline of my piece. One such architect and artist is Dan Slavinsky. His drawings have been exhibited In London and in this piece, his architectural fantasy of a fairy is hidden in plain sight amongst the designer seaweed.
My contemplation of birth and death led me to the image of the babies in the egg, illustrating that life itself is a leap of faith. The phenom illustrator Redmer Hoekstra is the creator.
One of my favorite books is the Pulitzer Prize winner, The Overstory by Richard Powers. It is the best novel ever written about trees, says Ann Patchett. The book will influence my art for some time to come. I’ve studied trees, their communication, their intelligence and necessity for us to live, the give and take between us. A tree outside my door is my constant companion and home to songbirds who provide the score to my work.
A Leap of Faith requires trust, justice and morality which are the mainstays of the Egyptian Goddess Ma’at. She had a rigorous rule structure for Egyptians to abide by and at the end of their lives, their heart was measured for weight against her ostrich feather on the scale of justice to determine the afterlife of the departed. The scale that hangs on the branch occupied by the Kingfisher bird. This beautiful creature was photographed by Dean Mason, and I include music in most of my work… which gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind and flight to the imagination – Plato.