'Soar'

Soar / 36x36 / Acrylic on Canvas

One of the things I really enjoy about working on several pieces all at once, besides the fact that so many layers of paint require more drying time, is that several paintings tend to come together around the same time, which feels so rewarding.  There are times that it feels as though I'm not getting very far and then, suddenly things come together.  My concern often is that I'm avoiding moving forward (which sometimes I am as beginning is so much fun) or that I am not getting anywhere (sometimes that, too, when I move from a canvas that is ready for the next step to begin another).  I have so much fun with hand carved stamps and hand cut stencils and am really happy how everything came together in this 36x36 inch piece titled 'Soar'.  I incorporated the symbols off the Okotoks Erratic (aka the Okotoks Big Rock - which was the impetus for name of Big Rock beer brewers) as well as the symbols found in cave drawings all over North America and Europe.  I wanted to include symbols of communication on the raven as ravens are known to be messengers.  I also like the idea of human beings communicating centuries ago across the ocean, using the same symbols in every region.  I don't know if they meant the same things to people in different regions, but it sure makes it feel that initially we were all from the same place, wherever that may be.