This month, I travel backwards in time, to share a group of encaustic paintings I almost completed before my travels to New Zealand (end of Jan through mid-March of this year). These works push the edge of the symbolic imagery I’ve been exploring for the last few years. They interweave similar spiritual themes: As Above, So Below; Doors as Portals into other Dimensions & Realities; Symbols & Signs in Daily Life. If there is one thing that meditation has taught me, it is to not believe most of the thoughts you think, which essentially reflect our beliefs of life and reality. This is at the root of what I attempt to convey in these works; metaphysical worlds exist, hiding in plain sight.
Here, I’ll showcase 3 of the 6 pieces in this Transitions Series. All showcase bold colors as the backdrop for unusual landscapes. Typical of many of my past works, I use common subjects combined with other elements in non-realistic ways, hinting at unseen realms; various levels of magnification add to the imaginary field. Enlarged microscopic organisms (here, diatoms) co-exist as part of ‘landscape’ of components including insects, doors, horses, celestial bodies (stars, planets). Each becomes a symbol within a story, alluding to a different version of reality, more metaphysical. Neither surreal, or fantasy, all co-existing elements pull us into a different subjective space; as a whole they speak to our soul’s longings… to expand and move into a perspective of equanimity, resulting from internal transitions.
Title: Transfiguration Dimensions: 14.6” x 11.6” framed
Year: 2024 Media: Encaustic & Mixed Media
Here we see a butterfly’s life cycle, from egg through caterpillar, chrysalis into butterfly; aligned along a vertical plane, a beetle fortifies the foundation. As a symbol of resilience and transformation, it treads the watery realms. Afloat in this transitional blue realm are diatoms, tree-like shapes, sending filamentous roots downward. Typically invisible, these ingenious micro-algae contribute beauty and life-giving oxygen to the process, providing nourishment for the arduous journey of transformation. The larvae form must completely dissolve into a microscopic mush, before it can be reborn into a winged creature, able to occupy the air realm, and perceive a higher perspective. The fiery sky sparkles, beckoning the forward motion with its warmth and glow. Analogously, if we heed the call of our unique soul’s desire to evolve, we must dissolve our old life to become a spiritual master. The process necessitates we shed our conditioning, practice compassion to/with all life, and live a heart-centered life, shining our truth, inner beauty and light.
Title: Red Moon Calling Dimensions: 16.5” x 16.5” framed
Year: 2024 Media: Encaustic & Mixed Media
The Blood Moon (full lunar eclipse) is a harbinger of significant events and/or a sign of divine intervention. Additional cosmic bodies, 2 stars, act as guiding lights on the journey. The stars are magnified images of tiny diatoms, micro-algae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. They form a significant portion of the Earth’s biomass, and generate about 20 – 50 % of the annual oxygen production; they are honored here as unsung planetary heroes. The cherry blossoms bloom in all their glory, bringing the promise of new life.
The bottom panel has a central blue portal/door, beckoning the spiritual traveler forth. Five wind horses gallop over the door; the central one haloed by the red moon. The wind horse is an Asian symbol of the soul’s potential for realization, founded upon the inherent goodness within each human. It reminds us to light the flame of goodness through wisdom practices that refine our thoughts, speech and actions to reflect our aspirations to achieve our greatest potential within the human body and this lifetime. The central ground is occupied by a beetle, symbol of rebirth, as we journey through life’s challenges, it affirms our ability to stay the course.
Escaping the Wardrobe, 12” x 9”
Title: Escaping the Wardrobe Dimensions: 12.6” x 9.6” framed
Year: 2024 Media: Encaustic & Mixed Media
The gray-gold sun-moon silhouettes an enormous dragon fly, symbol of adaptability and grace, flying above the fray. From ancient origins, dragonflies have been around for over 300 million years, before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Adult dragonflies are short-lived, as they spend most of their life cycle as nymphs. Analogous to human life, we go through numerous stages; our ‘identity’ can change profoundly, even in adulthood, if we engage the inner work to become peace. Humans tend to hide what is unacceptable within their/our culture; if we are to evolve within a lifetime, courage enables us to rise above what the closet hides. The wind horses, have escaped their framework to leap over the cabinet; if opened, these doors could be a portal in to a new dimension. The flying wind horses embody the human soul’s potential, and signify humans’ inherent goodness. As we apply our boundless energy into cultivating compassion and wisdom, practicing with our self, we can live in fullness of our Realized Self. The energy frequencies we radiate outwards, echo back to us. The beetle symbolizes the industriousness required to stay steady along the challenging course of transitioning into our spiritual potential.
I’ve recently completed this Series; being they are smaller in size, they provide a more intimate viewing experience, and perhaps, more affordable. I welcome your feedback about what these pieces evoke for you. Thanks so much for tuning in.