Rising From Deep Under

“We Deep Under Ocean,” 16″x48″, mixed media, Mark Turner, 2015

Four months ago a short, simple poem emerged from my early morning meditations and started me building this mixed media image which I finished just in time for the New Year.

I had been contemplating my progression in life and the faith that it is like rising from the world of deep ocean; changing slowly from the heavy pressure and darkness, heading up in due time toward an unimaginable reality as different as the sky is from the ocean floor.  My faith tells me the whole human race is in this progression, transforming, becoming new creatures.

The words of the poem are integrated with pencil drawing, charcoal markings, photographs, found objects from my shelves, and digital painting.  The typography of the poetic lines participates with the imagery of the progression.  You can read the poem conventionally from top to bottom, but I think you will want to come back up line by line.  For me it is like an icon aiding my meditation.

See a larger view of the composition HERE.

See the short art film of this image below.