A clergy friend suggested I paint a peacock because apparently they are symbolic of the resurrection since they were supposedly purified by tribulation and then adorned with virtue. I was interested in the color, radial composition, pattern, repetition, and movement. My friend named it Zoe after the Greek for eternal life.

Zoe is 12″x18″ and done in pastel.

Purchase the original painting here.

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Concerned about the extinction of creatures who are stuck in our inconsiderate care, the tiger below depicts that forlorn state of affairs.

Captivity is 12″x12″ and done in pastel.

Purchase the original painting here.

Obtain prints and merchandise of this image here.

Both of these works were painted for their abstract meanings. Even when art is representational, I feel it should be about more than just what meets the eye. Metaphors abound!

Also note that here there was no effort to paint these creatures realistically. This heightens the inclination to look deeper into what is being said. To achieve this effect, I was careful NOT to use photo references, which helps give them a more abstract, childlike quality, which I feel makes them more compelling. Where the peacock is more about the eternal qualities of pattern, color and repetition, the tiger is emphasizing expressive feeling, both of the tiger, and how sadly we are failing them.