Growth
In life, we are not limited to using canvas and paint. We grow using the palette of our minds. This palette grows exponentially as we ourselves grow. From the time we are born our experiences, thoughts and gained knowledge cause us to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. The purpose of this series, of which I've entitled "Growth," is to show the relationship between growth in nature and man.
By studying nature, I am always amazed at the miraculous patterns that can be found in objects such as shells and leaves. Beautiful creations like these point toward intelligent design, a design that had a beginning; a birth. I wanted to incorporate these patterns, including the whorl, golden section and phyllotaxis in my pieces and demonstrate man's earthly life cycle from the beginning to the end of life.
From childhood to adulthood, the seven large pieces represent the human journey of growth. The six accompanying smaller pieces represent events that cause the person to pause and look back on his life so far. Perhaps by using hindsight, he is able to recount past occurrences with a different perspective.
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| Discovery |
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| Hindsight #1 |
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| Hindsight #2 |
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| Progression |
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| Expansion |
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| Hindsight #3 |
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| Release |
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| Hindsight #4 |
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| Uncertainty |
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| Awakening |
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| Hindsight #5 |
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| Hindsight #6 |
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| Reflection |
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Discovery: As a child, our curiosity leads us to learn new concepts and truths. This is the very start of forming a person as a whole. This form will become more detailed and refined with every second of the child's existence.
Progression: The child ages, growing physically, mentally and spiritually. This is a natural progression with little or no choice made by the child to do so. However, the ability to think and reason multiplies with each passing year.
Expansion: Freedom grows as the child grows. The ability to make potentially life-changing decisions is given gradually in order to ease the child into adulthood. Reigns are only tightened when freedom becomes too great for the child to handle.
Release: Boundaries are broken and the world is ready to be explored. No longer completely dependent on parents and peers, the child is now an adult in the eyes of others that have already reached this point and beyond. Successes and mistakes are now the sole responsibility of the individual.
Uncertainty: The fear of realizing great responsibility while simultaneously coping with the feeling of insignificance in the universe. The adult's purpose is uncertain. This fear can be both daunting and exhilarating depending on how the person copes with growth.
Awakening: Accepting his growth as his own. What once belonged to others now belongs to the individual. Thoughts, ideas, relationships, beliefs are now personal and deeply rooted in upbringing, teachings and life experiences.
Reflection: Dawn is long in the past and twilight has begun. As he nears the end of his life, he reflects on the journey. Where did he start and where has it taken him?
