To be “adrift” is to float freely. In life, with constant schedules and to do lists, floating adrift without purpose or destination can be sublime. Some of my fondest memories are hours I spent snorkeling over coral reefs observing sea life. The blue hues in this piece mimic warm, sunlit waters. Floating in tropical seas is like returning to the womb; one is enveloped in the warm liquid of the ocean where life first began.

I created a work using Fall colors and textures because Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love the brilliant hues of Fall foliage in the trees and underfoot. I added a red “leaves” of fused glass I was given by my friend Chuck Peck. The circle in the lower right of the painting represents the sun and the autumnal equinox. Autumn is also a metaphor for maturity. The deep yellows, ochres and browns suggest ripening and mellowing with age.

Beginnings are births or origins, times or places of starting. “Beginnings” illustrates the cycle of life through its interplay of colors. Blues represent dawn and the light of a new day. The lighter colors flow across the canvas overtaking the darker cranberry colors and the golden moon of the waning night. The start of each day holds the promise of new beginnings and possibilities.

“Danae’s Shower” represents the Greek legend of Zeus’s golden visit to Princess Danae. Danae (pronounced Dan-eye) was the mortal daughter of King Acrisius. An oracle prophesied that Danae would bear a son who would kill Acrisius. Hearing this, King Acrisius had Danae imprisoned in a bronze tower so she would never become pregnant. Nevertheless, Zeus came to visit Danae in the form of a shower of gold. She became pregnant and bore Zeus a son, Perseus. Acrisius tried to kill Danae and Perseus by casting them adrift in a small boat. They survived and Perseus returned as a young warrior to kill Acrisius and fulfill the prophecy.

Dream Interrupted represents the changing paths taken throughout life. Children want to grow up to be many things: firemen, astronauts and movie stars. As wisdom is gained, priorities change and interests evolve. As a child, I wanted to be an archeologist. In college, I considered entering the diplomatic corps before settling on Chinese. The series of broken black and white lines represent paths that were followed, then abandoned. My interrupted dreams left their imprints on my life.

Fire and ice are opposing Taoist forces in nature, fighting to find balance. Fire and Ice began with a background of black, overlaid with white and silver mica, to emulate the cool, calm Yin femininity. On top of the Yin colors, I added red for the heat and volatility of Yang or masculine elements. Too much Yin or Yang shows a lack of balance. Fire and Ice highlights nature’s constant striving for equilibrium.

A fissure is a long, deep, narrow cleft or crack. While studying Chinese in Taiwan, I lived high above Taipei in Yan Ming Shan National Park. Yan Ming is a dormant volcano, with active sulfur and steam vents. From my house, I would take a short walk and look into these hot, billowing cracks in the earth. Clusters of mineral crystals glistened like jewels. “Fissure” recreates the beauty of those mysterious clefts. A fissure gives a glimpse of the powerful forces that lie just beneath the surface.

Hannah is a given name with many translations. Hannah means “colorful” in Persian, “happiness” in Arabic, “grace” in English, and “faithful” in an ancient Hebrew dialect. Hannah was the first baby I ever held in my arms. The daughter of very dear, old friends, she has grown into a beautiful, intelligent, musically talented young lady. “Hannah” captures the essence of Hannah?s charms, gifts and intellect.

I listen to a wide variety of music when I paint. Jazz is very inspiring because of its free, unstructured timing and rhythms. While listening to a lively piece by Louis Armstrong, I executed a colorful flow painting as background to represent the energy, the color of the music. Later, I added images of musicians and instruments engaged in a Jam Session.

Luminescence is the giving off of light by an object. Light can symbolize knowledge, creation and beauty. As a boy growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, I sometimes saw northern lights. When the night was clear, incandescent ribbons of color glowed, danced and changed in the sky. “Luminescence,” with its metallic red, purple and iridescent fused glass, recreates a magical scene of night rainbows, the Aurora Borealis.