Entwined Life
by Cristina McAllister
Title
Entwined Life
Artist
Cristina McAllister
Medium
Painting - Digital Painting
Description
This image is based on the Real World as explored by Science, presented in the form of fantasy figure.
Nature Spirits, Fairies, Dryads and other folkloric denizens of Forests and other Wild Places have long straddled the line between Fantasy and Reality. While not material members of our planet's Ecosystems, they have historically represented in human minds Real forces of Nature that were observed and experienced, but remained mysterious.
Such Fantasy beings were given credit for the observable work of invisible fungi and other organisms, as well as natural processes and phenomenon like the formation of dew and frost, or lightening and glowing swamp gas.
I've drawn and painted elves and fairies for as long as I can remember. Their presence in pop culture had been firmly established in America by my childhood through characters like Tinkerbell and the Keebler Elves. They were charming and cutesy, or sometimes beautiful and mysterious – enchanting cartoons and comics and children's book illustrations.
It wasn't until later studies that I found a deeper understanding of these not-quite-fictional figures and a connection with my own ancestors' spirituality through these ancient conceptions of Nature.
I began to understand that the original purpose of “nature spirits” was to help Humans Relate to Nature.
It is not difficult to have a relationship with a tree if you imagine that the tree has a “spirit” - a mind to communicate with. While any conversation between you and the tree may be pointless, the relationship is real.
I know many people who love trees, and because of this love, they try to protect and nurture the tree, forming a Relationship that is Mutually Beneficial to both the Human and the Tree.
So it seems to me that Relationships with Nature Spirits, whether imaginary or not, can have Real-World benefits to Life on Earth.
The figure in this painting is sort of a collective spirit of the Forest.
You can watch this short video on YouTube to explore the details of the species included in this piece:
https://youtu.be/dXap-t-U5II
Uploaded
July 14th, 2022
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