I started working on a new piece the other day, and opened up several images to get started. Water and sand seem to be theme for me lately. I think these elements are strong symbols. Water is necessary for all life. It causes life to occur. A square foot in the rain forest has thousands of biological specimens. Babies, before they are born, live in water in the womb. The splash and flood of water to me, is like a birth of sorts.
Sand, likewise, is a source of life as much as it is the opposite of water. Many myths telling of the origin of man speak of man being hewn from rock or formed from sand. The Biblical story of Adam says that he was formed with the dust of the ground. Greek stories talk about Common Man being formed in clay. Modern society tends to reject dirt as primitive. While trends are bringing us back to nature, the idea of futuristic and ideal are often also sterile, spotless. Dirt is ancient, and I am drawn to its ageless existence. Sand preserves. In the Middle East, the birth place of humanity, the desert protects ancient archeological finds. In swamp lands, things are quickly broken down and eroded. Sand is dirty and water cleans. The conflict between these elements interests me.