In response to the theme of A MOMENT OF SILENCE exhibition, I have re-invented one of my earlier paintings, Deeper (2022), originally created on the floor of the studio of Duncan Stewart—my muse and art teacher. I used Deeper as an underpainting for the re-engineered piece, both honoring its origin and layering it with new meaning. While I was working on Deeper, Duncan was painting GARDEN OF RAINBOWS. Inspired by this, I later painted salmon over Deeper to pay tribute to Duncan—not in memoriam, but in recognition of his role in awakening a new vitality in my art.
Deeper evolved from a series of studies based on a profound dream in which I found myself sinking in water full of debris, Hebrew letters, and mathematical symbols. This painting was my first abstract response to that dream—a liberating and transformative experience. Most of the work was created directly on the floor, using turpentine and a squeegee to push and pull the paint. The process demanded vulnerability; I began in fear, unsure of where it would lead, but chose to trust my instincts. What emerged was a visual expression of surrender, depth, and discovery.
This new piece integrates all of that: the dream, the journey, the influence of a mentor, and the unfolding of artistic confidence. It is a work that not only dives deeper into the original vision but also surfaces with new life and layers of meaning.
