Genesis of "Life force" painting

I always feel uplifted at the miracle of nature’s resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. New life springs forth in inhospitable places again and again – a reminder that where there is life, there is hope, even in a broken and marred world.

This year I have been inspired by the sight of a young fern breaking through the weight of concrete, wildflowers bursting into bloom in miniscule pockets of soil and flushes of new green at the end of a long drought.

Seeing these miniature resurrections of life helps me to remain hopeful in the face of overwhelming news reports. For me they foreshadow the full restoration of the cosmos yet to come.

I have used broken glass to represent the shattering of barriers. The scratch marks on the canvas reflect both the scars and imperfections we see everywhere around us and the energy inherent in living matter that cannot be contained by manmade frames.

Flashes of green, yellow, and red represent hope, light and power and remind me of ferns, poppies and other plants surviving against the odds. The seeds of future life and growth are represented by millet husks.