“A human being is part of the whole called by us, universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.”
-Albert Einstein, 1954
“All things come out of the One and the One out of all things.”
-Heraclitus, 500 B.C.
Some ideas are timeless. These statements, made by two very wise humans who lived 2,500 years and half a world apart from one another convey the same beautiful message. They share the insight that all things in existence are interconnected. This is the theme that lies at the heart of my work. Through combining a wide variety of images from a range of sources, I seek to create connections between subjects that are typically regarded as unrelated. By researching symbolism culled from a collection of cultural and spiritual dictionaries, I gain a new understanding for animals, colors, shapes, and so on. These creative attributes have served to aid people throughout history by honoring and respecting the creatures and substance of every day life. I am fascinated with the human compulsion to create meaning and narratives for subjects and occurrences in the world, on both the personal and the cultural level.
Life is amazing, mysterious, and rich with beauty and knowledge. It is also filled with opportunities to develop wisdom, which, at its deepest level, provides peace of mind and spirit. My work is here for you to awaken your imagination, spark your curiosity, and find connections between creatures and forms. Here you can be released from the constraints of time and obligation. Invent your own connections, or just look closely.