Rise of the Planets

Part of the “Strolling Through Galaxies” series, these encaustic works incorporate images, observations, and notations from some of the great scientific minds (Plato, Galileo, Newton) who attempted to understand and explain the natural world – its many functions and interaction, our relationship to it and our place in it.   Their relentless search for truth and understanding was often at odds with the prevailing ideas of society and often came at great risk, both personally and professionally.

I see these scientific explorations as the perfect metaphor for the personal exploration of one’s psyche, one’s inner truth.  It is a life-long pursuit and often comes (seemingly) at great risk.  Knowledge and insight are built upon earlier discoveries and many truths are evident only after the continued labor of years of study, life lessons, and introspection that breaks through long-held assumptions or mistaken beliefs.

We, too, are at risk of disproving our initial long-held beliefs and ideas, and when these beliefs no longer serve us, we often struggle to find the courage to release our old, limiting beliefs and embrace our new-found inner truth (discoveries) and to continue the process – always refining our beliefs with the ultimate goal of Inner Truth.

I use encaustic, parchment paper, and ink in these pieces– all materials that were readily available during the time of the early scientists and explorers.  The underlying imagery is taken from centuries-old treatises.  Each represents a graphic understanding of the world as it was comprehended at the time.

The process of building and scraping away each piece with layers of wax, scientific imagery, and ink also echoes the way knowledge was (and is) accumulated and built upon – layer by layer, sometimes half-obscured, sometimes brilliantly clear.