This was the first piece I did for this show.
Two spheres occupy the bottom and top of the piece, respectively, with a dark in-between space. All of these areas are connected by a twirling blue ribbon of DNA, and each area- the spheres and the in-between space contain some aspect of the element of fire.
This piece evolved organically, without any preconceived ideas. I just took a piece of board, prepped it, then started constructing an image. This was an unusual process -I always have some idea of what I’m diving into. But this body of work began with the seeds of my visual journaling process, where I would let instinct and motion let loose on the page. I decided for this first piece to try that process on a larger scale.
My intent with visual journaling is to explore the inner landscape with images instead of words. This piece is an elaboration of that simpler, freer process. The further I went into creating work for this show, the deeper from my psyche the expression seemed to leap from. Themes emerged, of familial relationships, and woundedness, but also the deeper relationships we have, archetypal relationships, with all the elements of our world.
As the language of this piece took shape, I realized it was an expression of the alchemy of transformation. Early fire burns strands of DNA to red hot temperatures, Lightning incinerates the coded parts of ourselves that no longer serves us, and sunlight, or, one could say, spiritual fire, replenishes our personal code into a new, brighter form.
