This piece was unfortunately destroyed by the devastating fires that inflicted Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 8/8/2023 along with other artwork. This is but a very small loss compared to the lives lost- human, animal, plant, tree, ocean life- and the people displaced by this tragedy. These include my sister and her husband who lost their home, everything, in this fire.
The jade vine, also known as strongylodon macrobotrys, has been a muse for me for many years. This abstract mixed media painting represents the many layers of a jungle with dark stone or volcanic stone. The heavy texture and darkness mimics the variety and density of plant life with the inclusion of an Apopholite crystal to help balance the mind, body, emotions, and spirit. As does the beautiful jade vine and all plant life. The included quartz crystals protect from negative energies making this piece a special edition to a living area or sacred space.
I utilize metal paint with controlled oxidation to produce a range of natural rust colors as a way of visually linking real natural processes to those of decomposition and renewal. The time lapses within jungles where plant life emerges after a volcanic eruption. The lush greenery magically sprouts from the cooled lava. The frame is natural bamboo to compliment and integrate into the painting itself. Bamboo is beautiful and an admirable tree for sustainability as it grows quickly in many environments with numerous practical uses. An homage to the jungles of earth that give us the oxygen we need to survive.