Universal Flow

The title of this painting is "Universal Flow" and it follows a theme of many of my paintings the past 20 years or so. I believe we are all connected, and everything we think, say and do affects everyone and everything right down to the cellular level. Now this is a pretty big belief, and it would be frightening beyond imagination if I didn't also believe in forgiveness and a higher power. We are always learning and growing, and making mistakes along the way, but our intentions are what seem most important. My intention behind creating art is to bring a little joy, healing, laughter or uplift the viewers spirit in some way, and anchor that through the image or sculpture or piece of jewelry. I'm an intuitive artist, and I never know what is coming next. My hope is that it keeps flowing, and finds it's way into the hearts and homes of the people it touches in some way. The theme of these paintings and pieces stem from an experience I had in my late twenties;

I was out for a walk with a friend one summer evening..along the bike path that follows Lake Michigan along the North Shore. I was near Northwestern University that night, and as I walked out on a pier and looked back towards the city something incredible took place. Standing there admiring the city lights and beautiful sky scrapers, the buildings suddenly began to melt into one fluid interconnecting dance of life, death and rebirth..those solid structures began to melt and turn into water and the water turned into fire...the fire into music and silence...taste and smell, every color you can imagine, plus a few more...all dancing and changing before my eyes. I saw the buildings turn into birds, the birds into stars, the stars into light, the light into bodies and buildings, and back..it's very hard to describe in words. It felt like a moment of wholeness to me...a moment of truth, a state of grace. There were no drugs or mind altering substances involved, though I know it sounds like the only explanation for such an experience. It felt like a "peek" into what is really going on in the universe, and it changed the way I look at the world. Yesterday the world felt like that...with all the people gathering to celebrate the inauguration of our 44th president...in Washington or around the world..watching it all unfold on television, the Internet..or listening on radio..it felt like a day full of grace and unity, and I'm so glad to be alive to witness it. May we all carry that feeling forward in our hearts...and remember...we're on the ride together!