Spirals

I’ve always had a love of spirals. They represent evolution, letting go, and holistic growth. And they tend to show up in my paintings.

It’s apparent in the underpainting of Emma in the apple tree even though you may not be aware of it in the finished work. As my painting develops, Emma begins to emerge from the branches. (If you continue the spiral of the overarching branch, you will see that Emma’s form is at its unfolding center.)

Life doesn’t evolve in a linear fashion. It unfolds. Like a spiral. Like the new frond of the fern, unraveling into being. Like a 13 year old not-yet woman.

The same is true of ideas. They circle out and around, bump up against ideas on the outer edge (the “far out there” ones), dance a bit with the insanity, and loop back in to connect with other ideas at the safer, saner, “middle of the road.” On the way around, connections are made between seemingly disconnected thoughts, and new patterns and possibilities emerge from the interplay. Before long, a clearer picture develops as pieces of the puzzle come together to create a spectacular whole.

Today as I add more detail to the figure, I will also begin the refining of the tree. Step by step, the creative process unfolds.