Spiritual Beauty

As I worked through the development of the images, it was important that each composition contain spiritual beauty— something beyond the surface, the colors, and the textures—that would connect with the viewer. This self-imposed requirement helped me make a personal connection to each composition and element of the story. For the project to be successful, I knew that I had to do more than just create technically accurate and aesthetically beautiful designs. I would need to somehow infuse my own experiences, thoughts, and dreams into the work.

This exploration revealed to me that beauty is about much more than just the superficial elements. In the same way that beauty is revealed in the physical appearance of things, there is another beauty that occurs when a deep personal connection is made. This positive connection to an object or work of art, which is not dependent on its physical characteristics, is spiritual beauty. Each composition was developed to portray a theme intended to elicit deep spiritual feelings from the viewer.

Content would not be designed literally, but rather metaphorically, with symbolism and details intended to help the viewer engage in spiritual or mystical thought. I wanted my artwork and designs to be successful according to fine art principles, but I also wanted them to express deep feelings about spiritual themes and experiences.