"Earthbound"

11"x17"

graphite pencil on illustration board

This is the first black and white entry in this series, although I have done many works in black and white, and a few have won awards in local galleries. I enjoy the simplicity of graphite pencil, sometimes it is quite cleansing to work outside the constrains of color, it seems more limitless from the artist's perspective and the high detail and intense contrast look very striking when framed and displayed. 

This angel called to me from a cemetery just outside a little town called Licking Missouri (yes, Licking) when I was on a road trip to do some camping on the Piney River. I saved some film and stopped on the way back and took about 10 photos of this beautiful stone monument. The dates and year were too worn to read, and her lovely countenance was darkened and rough from age and probably some acid rain. 

She seemed to me a guardian, a representation of a spirit left behind to watch over a loving family. She speaks to m e of peace, and promise. The existence of the spiritual here on earth and our connection to the past and the future. The Christian religion and many others have revered Angels as messengers between God and the people of the material world. Due to many requests, I may add more stone angels to this collection.