A Ray of Hope Description:
This painting was inspired by Antelope Canyon in Arizona. Looking at the majesty of the canyons gave me an incredible sense of peace and comfort, so I knew that this environment was perfect for the subject of my painting.
The woman curled up on the rock is the focal point of the painting and she represents someone who is in a moment of reprieve. She is alone in the canyon, but not lonely. This difference is key: her aloneness is not veiled in sadness but more in peaceful solitude.
Her body is not in a tight fetal position, but reflects a more relaxed state of someone who is in a moment of quiet awakening. She gently brushes her hair back from falling on her face and her other arm cups the cascade or red hair dipping into the flooded canyon. The long waves of hair create eye flow and lead the viewer’s eye down to the rich colours of the canyon reflected in the water. The water that has collected in the bottom of the canyon is an important element of the painting because it reinforces the serene spirit of the woman. While the rain waters would have coursed through this narrow passage earlier, they have settled into a calm state, much like the woman.
The canyons are made out of Navajo sandstone and have been eroded over millions of years by flash floods, wind and weather, giving their walls undulating lines that mimic the wind. The reds and oranges in the canyon are repeated in the colour of the woman’s hair, creating a harmonious, almost monochromatic composition. The canyons that I chose to combine on either side of the woman embrace her as if she is in the safety of a mother’s womb. The warmth of their walls cocoon the woman and provide her an escape from the outside world.
The ray of light that shines down from the small opening at the top of the rocks further guides the viewer’s eye to the woman inside. The ray of light falls just shy of the woman, illustrating that she is close to touching the light and the hope that it promises -- all she has to do is step into it when she is ready. While her back may be to the light, if the woman lifts her head slightly, she will see the path illuminated before her.
“A Ray of Hope” illustrates that in moments of quiet solitude and comfort, you can hear your own voice and awaken to the hope and promise that awaits you.