Monastery Pond Triptych
2007
Oil on Panel, 60”x 36”, 60” x 42”, 60 x 36”
Sold
I love the coolness of the darks and the brilliant glare of the light in these paintings; here the season is poised energetically between the light and dark of summer and winter.
These images are from the grounds of a Buddhist monastery on route 301 between the towns of Cold Spring and Carmel. It’s a beautiful site, with a large ceremonial bell and drum, and buildings in the traditional Chinese style. In the Main hall there’s a massive statue of the Buddha. It’s a pretty welcoming place; people don’t get chased off the grounds. At least I haven't, yet.I was there a lot in the Fall, and it seemed there was always another solitary person, the shadowy guy with a scruffy beard, parked at the very far end of the empty parking lot, emerging from a beat-up car; or the girl In the track shorts, knee socks, adidas sandals and ‘Giambi’ jersey, wandering around,slowing down, maybe trying to open up, take something in.
I can't help thinking of the darkness and light as signifying illusion and enlightenment. The pond is the Mind; the light both penetrates it, describes it, and bounces off of it. The birches seem to be moving muscularly up towards the light. The pond is passive, taking everything in. Yin and Yang.