When the Sunlight Paints in the Jungle
It started with the discovery of the Ensō circle. The Ensō circle is a sacred Zen Buddhist symbol and meditation practice, that dates back to the 800s. Done with one or maximal 2 brush strokes It symbolizes enlightenment and perfection within Imperfection. On this basis many other concepts find their way into the symbolic power of the Ensō circle, one of them being the state of creative flow, the moment in time when the artist allows their spirit and mind to flow freely into their creation.[1]
I absolutely adore this powerful moment and I am convinced that many artists live for just this state of mind. However, it can be quite elusive, and it is not easy to achieve.
There is of course nothing to achieve “with one or two brushstrokes” in the elaborate process of kiln-formed glass. But I picked up some glass powder and brushes ….
Every piece of Transformations starts by creating an open circle using varying techniques and several firings. Several hours of being alone with the pieces aligning what I see and have in my hands – a conversation of matter and mind lead to the setups and shaping giving each piece it’s final expression.
[1] https://mantrasmeditation.com/buddhist-mantras/zen-circle/
The sweet life of an artist must include hours of undisturbed, undistracted time and space that allows for a focus on the insistent but tender creativity in us. My time is the small, still hours of the morning. Working alongside the changing sky from the darkest midnight tone to the fresh sunny skies of the day are gratification each and every time.
Developed during a time of loss and grief, this piece expresses the struggle to achieve as well as the power of acceptance of wounds. Through praising the unique beauty of those we’ve lost, we don’t erase the pain, but we embrace the fullness of life as beautiful and a treasure to be celebrated. This piece is intended as an encouragement for us to allow for wounds to be present in us elements without diminishing the beauty of the wholeness of being.
Sometimes we wish for simplicity–simple to understand, simple to solve, simply go away, simply enjoyable.
With the challenges of the past several years, a yearning for an invisible supportive force slipped even into the most rational beings. The colors and shapes in this piece were inspired by the most fantastic cultural instantiation of this yearning–Chinese dragons.
Inspired by discussions on environmental awareness and protection, I wondered whether a lack of a deep relationship with nature might be the culprit in how horrifically humans tend to treat our planet. The green tones and sparkly shimmers surface memories of the interplay of sunlight and water under a green canopy in the Indonesian jungle, the Australian rainforest, or the creeks of my childhood with cold clear water lapping about mossy river rocks.
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