Oracle’s Light– Now at the Principle Gallery
Every single human being should be the fulfilment of a prophecy: for every human being should be the realisation of some ideal, either in the mind of God or in the mind of man.
― Oscar Wilde, De Profundis
Oscar probably has it right: humans should lead lives of intention. Many try. As a result, those that do look for some sort of guidance or template to follow. This should come as no surprise– we all need some assistance in getting along. Actually, all the help we can get.
Some use religion, some philosophy, some education and knowledge, and some the latest self-help trend. Whatever it might be, we all seek symbols that serve as guideposts for the path ahead.
Something that tells us we are doing the right thing, living our lives well. In a way where we set a course to follow rather than living our lives like the ball in a pinball machine, being thrown from side to side, back and forth, by things we don’t choose and cannot control. A life of steady action rather than one of constant violent reaction.
To that end, we often seek guides and guideposts.
I often see the Red Tree in much of my work as a symbol of this sort of guidepost. It almost always stands alone, slightly elevated above the rest of its surroundings. It seems to be in a stance where it appears to be either symbolically observing, sermonizing, prophesying, or teaching.
The Red Tree here seems to be in a position where it appears to me to be in the role of the soothsayer or prophet who has made its prediction and waits now for it to come to bear. The bright light of the rising sun symbolizes the coming realization of its prophecy. I suppose it could be a sunset which could also serve in the same manner, depending on the tone of its prediction, whether it predicted a coming light r a falling darkness. leading me to give it the name Oracle’s Light.
This was piece that sat in on the stone hearth in front of my easel for quite some time, the last piece to leave my painting area to be framed. There was something about it that made me want to keep it in front of me, as though if I kept it there long enough it would share the secret of its prophecy with me.
Unfortunately, it didn’t.
But I am one of those people who will keep looking for that guide, that guidepost, that symbol that will hopefully serve some meaningful purpose in going ahead. And this piece simply reminds me of that.
Oracle’s Light is 22″ by 28″ on aluminum panel and is included in my solo exhibit, Depths and Light, which is on view until July 3 at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.
Redtree Times 