Mythic Self-Portrait II

12" x 16"Watercolor Pencil & Screen-Printing Ink on Paper2003Collection of the artist

This piece expresses the idea of the self as a never-ending being whose existence stretches across the echoes of time and space. The idea of reincarnation is demonstrated by the repetition of faces and is signified by the third eye of the central figure, whose eyes encompass the world. In each of the four directions there are two pairs of hands, one pair reaching outward and one pair reaching inward. These hands are representative of several ideas: one being the effortless inhalation and exhalation of the breath; another being the endless giving and receiving of energy that occurs between an organism and its surroundings; and a third idea being the indistinction between the beginnings and endings that occur throughout life, including birth and death. Brightly colored and intricate designs are employed to emphasize the concept of existence as a constantly creative endeavor. The many circular forms resemble cells, which constitute the physical form of the self. Through the symbolism of forms and color, this piece becomes a personal mandala situating the artist's consciousness within the cosmos.