Inspiration Tuesday – June 2020
A Different Approach
It’s that time again! Inspiration Tuesday is upon us! The cherry tree in my parents front yard is starting to bloom. It reminded me of the piece we are going to talk about today. “Trinity”
My work has this formula where it always has some kind of natural elements with a surrealistic spin. I wanted to try something a little different for me. I wanted to move into an even more surreal realm.
I started thinking about this piece around my birthday, maybe even early May. I know the Cherry tree out at my parents acreage was in full bloom. I took some clippings, and a ton of reference photos.
Then the concepts started rolling out. Some of them were bad, but eventually I honed in on the cherry branch accenting a triangle. It resonated with me on an almost spiritual level. I know for a fact that I started working on this piece during ArtWalk 2018, I only know that because I have photographic evidence. I will admit my memory isn’t always the greatest.
So without further delay lets get into it.
The Inspiration
I think the best way to describe the inspirations for this piece should start with the triangle. In sacred geometry the triangle represents strength and balance with the body, mind, and soul. So in short it represents you as a whole. Discovering yourself, and knowing yourself involves finding what you believe in, stimulating your mind, and being kind to your body. Remember this later on.
Illustrating all of the individual blossoms was time consuming, and tested my patience, I’m still not completely satisfied with the results but I am glad I challenged myself. You learn a lot that way. In a way it parallels the meaning of the Cherry blossom.
Typically these blossoms represent renewal, and the fleeting beauty of life. Which is pretty vague and open for interpretation. For me renewal means expect change, challenge yourself, and learn. Throughout my life I have constantly been challenged, and I always feel I come away from it changed. For the better? Maybe.
I particularly love the bit about the fleeting beauty of life. When our lives are so fast paced it is very easy to forget to find the beauty in our surroundings. It is so important for your sanity to take time for yourself and find the beauty in our day to day lives.
Lastly the bee. These lovely little critters represent the sun, personal strength, and in some instances community. When applied to this piece I feel the bee is the embodiment of personal strength.
When you put all three of these things together this piece screams that it’s all about your self worth. That nurturing your happiness should be your number one priority. It will have a domino effect on your life. Eventually the negative things in your life will be replaced with the things you want in your life.
In the great words of Ru Paul “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love somebody else”
Trinity was created with watercolour, coloured pencil, and ink for finer details.
The piece is mounted on wood and measures ten inches by ten inches.
No prints are available, but the original is still in my possession. If you’d like to purchase this piece click the button below.
That concludes this months Inspiration Tuesday.
Stay Creative,
Justin Erickson
