The beginning...

What began as another typical painting became a life-altering journey of self-discovery. Fragments of my previous lifetime fumbling in uncertainty began to crystallize into one clear purpose while adding paint to create a meaningful form on one large piece of square board. The intended painting of a Bison started to take on a life of its own and travel uncontrollably in unexpected directions. Imagine my surprise as the process for painting a creature iconic to the largest prairie in the world (the Great Plains of North America) began to unfold similar to locations where oceans touch the landscape.

Waves of blue painters tape were laid down and peeled off like water across great sandy beaches. Smudges of bright color mixed into mud like a swamp. Thick layers of paint crashed through templates of circles like water smacking across rock cliffs. The process of painting drifted into intended form and unexpected revelation. Each decision a reflection of my ability to honestly perceive and honour the source of my own life measured against the representative accuracy of ideas uncovered in this unfolding mysterious process.

In alternating layers, strokes of painting sweep between representations of rolling waves and new variety of landscape surging up to the surface like the action of plate tectonics. The intimate relationship between the spreading seafloor and mineral dense prairies that historically provided nourishment to herds of Bison (and thus humanity) began to unfold. The fragility of humanities dependence on the same source was now made visible through the delicacy of attempting to paint a realistic image of this Bison. While the definition of "realistic" expanded to encompass the interconnection of all, the pragmatic necessity of a comprehensible image remained. The obscurity of purpose by eons of unseen lifetimes shifted into a glimpse of forces beyond vision that all life as we know now depends.

Movements of mind and body like continental drift across countless lifetimes to form a world that presently sustains all creatures required an anchor to communicate clearly through this painting. Bison taught me to honour the gift of life by each decision as we’re connected and all depend upon sharing the unique blessings brought to each other. Through mingling of light and shadow along the path we come to know ourselves and our place within this universe more profoundly. The heart of this Bison shines out like a lighthouse on the coastal edge of discernment to help guide our spirits to form this new reality of greater understanding and reverence.

As the essence of time drifted into illusion, both the incomprehensible consequence and irrelevance of our lifetime’s limitations transcend into higher purpose. Decisions along my own journey may often lack perceptual impact, but I believe commitment to exercising the mysteriously defining purpose of my life through creative expression will ultimately bring greater sustaining joy into this world. The most subtle decisions impact generations far into the future like a wave crashing onto the shore as it brings nutrition and form to the landscape and life not yet visible. Thus began an artist’s journey.