"Seadragon's World"

Copyright 2008

Here is the latest painting. It shows a seadragon laying in wait within the corals and seaweed. The white layer symbolizes death. The outermost layer is a magnification view of the mysid shrimp that will be eaten by the dragon. The shrimp, in turn, are eating the already dead detris (the white dots). Everything to the outside of the white stripe is either dead or soon going to be. The blue-green circles symbolize not only the water, but the circle of life. The lines around the shrimp are the water currents swaying them to and fro.

After doing some more in-depth research into Aboriginal art, I understand that what I am doing may be considered offensive to the indigenous people of Australia. Their art is more than just our western civilizations concept of art. Art is not merely a "picture" but a living thing which connects past to present, natural to supernatural, and is a sign of knowledge. It is part of their religion and part of who they are as a people. The thing is, that is exactly why it is so dear to me. I respect that it is a spiritual journey of meditation, patience and guidance from a greater being whom I call God.

So, not wishing to offend, but still in admiration of the meditative, symbolic, iconic, and spiritual aspects of the artistic style; I've decided to build my own symbolic imagery stemming from my own geneology, time, place, space, religion, education and culture. Stories that my ancestors have passed down through the generations would be expressed in the paintings. Symbolic animals and plants from my piece of the big blue marble. You get the idea.

Tomorrow I am going to Dick Blick and pick up some more canvas boards. Maybe tonight, in my dreams, an idea will be planted and I'll begin again.

To learn more about Aboriginal art as an iconographic art form establishing both a verbal history and an intrinsic connection to nature look here: http://www.buy-original-art.com/styles/aboriginal_art.htm

Research for work in progress

I've mentioned before that my current painting is of a seahorse. Why? I don't know... They are exotic, otherworldly, peaceful, patient,small creatures. I want to be able to post the painting RIGHT NOW(!) because I am so excited about its development. As I painted "Crocodile Dinner" I regained knowledge on patterns, textures, contrast and color using a limited pallet. This one is SO much better and I can't wait for it to be completed, but I have to pace myself. I don't want to ruin the strides I've achomplished. While the previous painting showed action, this painting shows calm.

I drew this funny little shrimp character as how I imagined a shrimp to be. Then I did research to find out exactly what one looks like and which types a seahorse eats. I thought shrimp were similar to crayfish in that their legs were attached just below the main shell of the body and the gills were in the tail. Being from the Midwest and seeing more corn and beans than shrimp, how was I to know? I guess shrimp's "legs" are IN their tail and they swim backwards. This particular type also has a little spike on the back with barbs. I wonder if that is a type of protection from predators?

Anywho, research is so much fun. I get almost fanatical. It's like I am obsessive-compulsive. I ask myself a question and look for the answer which, in turn, leads me to ask ten more questions. Those questions just HAVE to be answered as well until it spirals out of control I literally have stayed up all night "learning." The sad part is that my memory is so horrible that by the next day I've completely forgotten everything. I just hope that it just seeps deep down into my brain and jumps out as subconscious twists and turns when I need to be creative.