The Waterman - Ignis Aeris

This is the second panel of The Waterman triptych. ... more

by Patricia Ariel

Title

The Waterman - Ignis Aeris

Artist

Patricia Ariel

Medium

Painting - Watercolor And Pencil On Illustration Board

Description

This is the second panel of "The Waterman" triptych.
While the central panel represents the Christ as the macrocosm, the side panels are the microcosm, represented by the Four Elements and their manifestation in the physical world.
"Ignis Aeris" is the yang pillar, the elements Fire and Air. Volatile and oriented upward, these elements are connected to the realms of the abstract thinking and intuition. Fire is the energy, passion and primeval instincts, that need to be balanced by the intellect (Air) in order to manifest in a most constructive way. The certainty of the Divine, that comes from the heart and from a primal knowledge, needs to be shaped by the intellect in order to become less aggressive and to expand (the butterflies rising from the fire and flying upward). Only through a perfect combination of faith and reason we can access the Divine and understand Its Laws.

At the basis of the picture, handling the creative power of Fire, we see the Magician of the Tarot, which I represented wearing the skin of Nemean Lion, just like Greek hero Herakles. He represents the first step in the Hero's Journey, or that path that each one of us need to find out and go through in order to become Whole with the Universe. The Magician is the one who uses his power of will (Fire) and mental skills (Air) in order to find his own path.

(Original not available until the triptych is complete. The price listed is for 8.5 x 12 prints. Please contact me for inquiries.)

Uploaded

May 6th, 2009