>>Thanks for the nudge, Phong. I kinda geeked out on some rendering that I just figured out, and feel that ^^this^^ doesn't express my highest vision, more of an exercise to learn the technical skills. I feel that it is a bit too synthetic, lacking the biophilic spirit that energizes my life-force toward planetary healing and wisdom culture. <<
I've spent some deep time in the wilderness (mostly wilderness canoe trips in northern and western Ontario, up by Mistassini in Quebec, upper Manitoba and Nunavut and across to Hudson Bay) Jack pines, black spruce, caribou moss, caribou herds, big sky, arora borealis......
But my spirit [and art] is most deeply influenced by a two and a half month walkabout and paddle through the Kimberley region of northwestern australia. The ancient Gwion Gwion rock art there, some say 40.000 ys old, second oldest in the world after glyphs in France, is some of the most graceful, sophisticated and timeless stuff I've ever had the blessing to experience.
(This image is already on the web, so I feel ok showing it...the paintings we saw were even more elaborate, but also had those [pregnant] bulges...)
It is very sacred to the natives there, who claim no connection to the distant cultures that created them, but steward them and forbid photographs, always resisting disrespectful western incursions. Only accesible by months of trekking and an initiated guide, the pieces we saw remain hidden from the cameras of helicopter-riding archeologists. My favorite examples depict what appear to be some kind of higher spirits or maybe a galactic intelligence.
I would like to work toward bringing through more of the inspiration from those and other Gaian exchanges.
This being said, I altered things to bring a little more balance into the piece, and just got a 30"x30" print made of this new version below [with darker levels], for a benefit at the Church of Bass: