Exhale

Acrylic and oil on canvas, 30 x 40 x 1.5" 

This painting was inspired by my meditation practice. I practice Zazen, or seated meditation. I first learned how to meditate at a Buddhist temple in high school. I used to attend early morning meditation before school twice a week as taught by the monks there. Without a doubt, this experience changed the trajectory of my life, and how I've lived ever since. I did not see this painting in my head while meditating, nothing so literal... but I attempted to put into paint the experience of the breath in the body. 

A common metaphor for the mind in meditation is a bowl of water that one stills. The thoughts are ripples on the surface of the water. The puddle in this painting offers a serene reflection of the sky and the tree and provides the viewer with a calming focal point for meditation. 

Its mate, "Inhale" can be purchased with this painting as a diptych or they can be purchased separately.