I first began my "Tao Series" in May of 2010 when an artist recommended that I check out the book "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life" by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. Little did I know, this particular book is actually about the 81 ancient Chinese verses called the Tao Te Ching. In the book, Dr. Dyer suggests that the reader meditate on each verse by "writing, recording, drawing, or expressing yourself in whatever way you're called to." At first, I thought "whatever", but I found myself wondering what kind of artwork I would create to correspond with the verses as I read them.
And so my journey began. I had always wanted to create art with more meaning, and what better way to do that than to start with the meaning. I also wanted to experiment with imagery that is more abstract; Something that different people can view differently depending on how their minds work. I thought about calling this "A Metaphysical Journey toward Abstraction" because you can see that more of the earlier pieces in the series relied on recognizable subject matter for their meaning.
By the time I had depicted Verse #19, I was slowly using more shapes, colors, and textures to convey meaning rather than traditional subject matter. I had also discovered a website called "Sacred Geometry" by Charles Gilchrist (a mandala artist) which provided me with more insight behind the meanings of different geometric shapes and how they are created.
Later in the series, around Verse #35, I began to incorporate more irregular "scribbly" lines. This was in reaction to the meticulously controlled geometric pieces I had been creating thus far. I am pleased with the resulting juxtaposition of the perfect geometry and the irregular lines.
By Verse #52, I had started using more colors of the spectrum and including smaller circles of color that relate to one another on their journeys. These circles of color made their way into my artwork as a result of my reading yet another Wayne Dyer book, the beautifully illustrated gift edition of "The Power of Intention."
It has taken me a year to complete the 81 artworks for the Verses of the Tao Te Ching. It is interesting for me to look back on the pieces I did months ago and remember what was happening in my life as I created them. It is my hope that you will enjoy viewing them and that they will touch your life in a positive way as well.
And so my journey began. I had always wanted to create art with more meaning, and what better way to do that than to start with the meaning. I also wanted to experiment with imagery that is more abstract; Something that different people can view differently depending on how their minds work. I thought about calling this "A Metaphysical Journey toward Abstraction" because you can see that more of the earlier pieces in the series relied on recognizable subject matter for their meaning.
By the time I had depicted Verse #19, I was slowly using more shapes, colors, and textures to convey meaning rather than traditional subject matter. I had also discovered a website called "Sacred Geometry" by Charles Gilchrist (a mandala artist) which provided me with more insight behind the meanings of different geometric shapes and how they are created.
Later in the series, around Verse #35, I began to incorporate more irregular "scribbly" lines. This was in reaction to the meticulously controlled geometric pieces I had been creating thus far. I am pleased with the resulting juxtaposition of the perfect geometry and the irregular lines.
By Verse #52, I had started using more colors of the spectrum and including smaller circles of color that relate to one another on their journeys. These circles of color made their way into my artwork as a result of my reading yet another Wayne Dyer book, the beautifully illustrated gift edition of "The Power of Intention."
It has taken me a year to complete the 81 artworks for the Verses of the Tao Te Ching. It is interesting for me to look back on the pieces I did months ago and remember what was happening in my life as I created them. It is my hope that you will enjoy viewing them and that they will touch your life in a positive way as well.