“Polaris” - 2012 - 36"x36" acrylic on canvas (gallery-wrapped with image continued on sides). Original and prints available for sale.
Behind the scenes:
Based on a vivid dream
the artist had, two bears of earth (polar bears) and sky (Ursa Major and Minor)
proceed through the symbols of ages. An under-painting deliberately
partially exposed is included with many symbols (painting to the left).
In the foreground, two polar bears walk
on a flower-of-life web of snow bathed in the spectral light of an aurora
borealis star-filled sky. The forest edging behind the bears reaches into
the sky like cathedral spires. The North Star (Polaris) plays a central
role around the highlighted constellations of Ursa Major (Big Dipper or bear),
Ursa Minor (Little Dipper or bear), Draco (the dragon), Cassiopeia, and others.
Two rose windows of the Chartres Cathedral under-painting described below
appear as medallions on at the polar bears throats and hind flanks. The geometric
Kabbalah Tree of Life appears under the mouth of the polar bears. The
bears stand on an image taken from an engraving of the Tree of Life on Urantian
bronze helmet from 13th-6th century BCE.
During
the dream, the artist's dream character spoke with one of her mentor-guides as
her dream-self painted an under-painting of a cathedral skyline in fucshia.
The first progress snapshot above shows the details of the Chartres
Cathedral used to represent to the dreams guidance. The
second progress shot to the left shows the cathedral spires transforming into
tall pine trees. The first shot
also shows the initial layout of the constellations centered around Polaris
(the North Star), while the third progress shot highlights the constellations
before refinement of the polar bears was completed. The final painting appears as the first photo above.