Connecting with the Source, 2017
acrylic paint and paper on stretched canvas
16" x 20"
SOLD

I have been interested in images of saints and religious figures for as long as I can remember. I have created several collage pieces about Saint Mary in the past. There is something about her that keeps drawing me back, especially depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

Over the past couple of months, I have been developing a daily meditation practice. I started after reading and listening to people like Dr. Wayne Dyer, Sadguru, Eckhart Tolle, and Russel Simmons. I have been focusing my attention (which is tough because my attention is all over the place) on being present in my life. I have also started taking yoga classes as part of the journey. The title "Connecting with the Source" is borrowed from Wayne Dyer (and probably many others). This is the idea that during meditation it is possible to let go of thoughts and ego, revealing one's true self/soul and being in tune with the Source/Universe/Creator/God. 

I thought it would be cool to connect the ideas of meditation and Mary. The reference for the image is from the label on a candle from the grocery store. The idea is that Mary is exploding into the space surrounding her, literally becoming one with her environment. If this image is a snapshot and the scene was to continue, eventually there would be no distinction between the figure and the background. While I was working on this collage/painting I could NOT stop. I ended up going to bed in the middle of the night, hours after I had planned to. Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time.