Inspired by spiritual and meditative techniques, this commissioned work expresses the deep, bonded love between a mother and a child lost to her in death. Interpretive in nature, the rich red colors represent lifeblood as it begins and ends, as well as the hearts of each individual, which are connected through two trees reaching to each other side by side. Their souls are surrounded by tranquil blues, greens, and yellow, reminiscent of the eternal ebb and flow of the mother and child’s relationship and invoking sunshine on peaceful waters. A samurai warrior stands to one side, shadowed, in a stance of dignity, strength, and honor. He represents the lost son, and holds his sword in a downward position, indicating his acceptance of the end of a long battle, fought with great courage. He is not defeated, but waiting, feeling a peace he hadn’t expected. The tone is one of unending tenderness and love between the two. A small cricket in the foreground represents waiting, a necessary passage to their reunion. One could easily imagine the rush of flowing water over the evening sounds of crickets in the woods as a backdrop for these mesmerizing images.
Their love is patient and timeless, and will wait until the circle is restored to its fullness.