"A painting you walk into."
This is one of the few times in my life where I have been permitted to imagine art without limitations. Gallery Residential commissioned the Hall of the Magician for The Upton in Atlanta, and I painted the whole room: the ceiling, both walls, the floor, the hanging banners and the portal around the entrance.
The Magician referenced here is the magician of the tarot. He represents our ability to bring things from the imagination to reality. One becomes a magician through mastering the four elements and finding a connection to the infinite. Here I am representing the five elements: spirit, air, water, fire and earth. The space seemed to ask to be divided in such a way.
Through the separation of the elements I was able to take the idea of light and split it, the same way light separates as it travels through a prism. All of the geometry for the entire artwork was generated from the layout of the lighting fixtures. I wanted to work with the space as much as possible, and I found the light to be a perfect starting point.
Water is tied to its cosmic pairing, the moon, with a water lily at its center. Fire is tied to the sun, with a sunflower representing a full solar eclipse. Air is carried by the banners suspended mid-air, earth is the floor, and spirit is positioned above on the ceiling, where the infinity symbol fades into the stars. Each element holds the constellations of its three zodiac signs.
In this space, I hope that everyone can find themselves grounded in their light.
