Expansion #1 Print

Earth, sand, soil, 24 carat gold leaf, acrylic, binding agent. Created during that special phase in a woman's life where she is harbouring new life inside her and is, as yet, unaware. This is the start of my series and my journey. Expansion outward and inward. Micro to macro. Inhale and exhale. Earth to gold. Birth to death. Using earth, sand soil and 24 carat gold leaf, I make art that is woven together with the underlying theme of connection ... connection to each other, the earth and the universe as a whole. My expansion series is a number of pieces exploring growth, time and connection. With this series I use tactile materials such as earth, sand and soil, binding them into the paint, in an attempt to connect the viewer to the elements of life. By using the simplest of elements (earth, sand and soil) accompanied by one of the most valued (24 carat gold), I try to draw the conclusion that no matter what our self perception or our perception of beauty is, from the micro, ie; the grains of sand and cellular, intangible energies of our physical bodies through to the macro; ie the planetary elements of our solar system and beyond, we are the embodiment of connection itself. Every grain of sand on our beautiful planet uses the same elements that make our stars, galaxies and human bodies. Through mimicking the expansion of the universe with every inhale we can come full circle and connect back to our true nature and to nature itself, with every exhale. Circles play a large role throughout this series as the symbol of the fluctuations in our consciousness and each piece can explode or implode as the viewer wishes to see it. The colours used nod to my yoga training and years as a yoga practitioner, as the colours of the 'chakras' or whirling energy centres in the body. In the yogic traditions, we do not die, we simply leave our bodies behind. Our consciousness evolves and expands, time is deemed irrelevant and we become one with the universe. This series is a special love note to our ever expanding universe, myself and humanity.