Evolution of ideas

The original idea for my current project was inspired by a specific series of events in my life last year.  To me, using the layers of neurons in this work represents certain layers of my knowledge, interests and passions, which have been temporarily covered up and moved to the back burner.  

Looking through my sketchbook, I came across an idea that I jotted down last November, while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   While it is not the type of art I would usually go to see, “The Forest in the Winter at Sunset” painting by Theodore Rousseau caught my attention.  I remember, I sat down and contemplated over it for a long time. I was trying to find a way to translate it into my art style. While I have seen a lot of artists draw parallels between neurons and trees, I was trying to dig for something deeper.  I wanted to catch the essence of being caught in a dense thicket. I took out my sketchbook and scribbled the following idea along with some notes. I was trying to figure out what to place in the center.

Around the picture I had the following notes:

• create a “forest” of neurons around  a deeper space for mind and subconscious
• probably no nuclei
• very dense fibers
• neurons in multiple layers, creating depth
• should neuron orientation be random or should they all radiate from the center?

A bit later, the idea evolved into this, which I temporarily titled “Hope in a forest”…

My current project with Darcy is deeply rooted in these ideas that were floating through my head last year.  But as the project progresses, it continues to be influenced by more current events as well. That is why I am considering revisiting a couple of elements that I have used in my previous pieces.  Namely, placing a clear white jewel somewhere in the depth of the network, similar to the way I did it here:

I may also follow one of my original ideas and allow certain branches to reach out beyond the limits set by the canvas.  

But for now, I am working through creating enough cell bodies to sufficiently populate the canvas.