Acrylic, Spray Paint
3 Plywood Panels
144” x 84”
Acrylic and Spray Paint on 3 Plywood Panels
Absolute Harmony
surreal: Surreal, Visionary, Fantasy, Figurative
(Tap the image to view Full Screen)
The left side of this piece is where the light lives. A glowing sun shines from the top left, casting bright beams across the sky and landscape. Giant bees float around strange violet flowers, and the whole scene feels alive, energized, and full of movement.
As you move toward the center, things begin to shift. A large eye appears—calm and powerful, like a cosmic witness. Its pupil looks like the nucleus of an atom, with tiny orbits circling it like electrons. Above it, a ram’s skull is hidden in the clouds, symbolizing strength and inner challenge. The land below starts to bend and twist, as if change is taking place.
On the far right, the scene turns to a darker, fire orange. A woman dances in the shadows—strong, grounded, and full of presence. She represents the darker side of this world, but in a way that feels bold and empowered. Above her, an owl peers from the sky, silent and wise.
A single line runs through the entire painting—the very first line I drew. It connects every part of the piece, guiding the viewer on a journey from light to dark. This painting is about contrast and transformation, and the strange balance that happens when both sides are allowed to exist together in harmony.
Tags: Battle of light and Dark, Vision, Dance, Shadow, Journey
I painted this piece on three panels of plywood that were covering a window on an old abandoned building in Santa Barbara, just across the street from the beach. It started as part of a local mural festival where the prompt was “Light vs. Dark.” While the main event only lasted one day, I kept coming back—painting in the evenings and sometimes all through the night, often until sunrise. I returned nearly every day for about a month, letting the piece unfold slowly, layer by layer.
At the time, I had just been laid off from a carpentry job and decided to take a leap toward pursuing art full time. I was living between my best friend’s garage—where I had a small studio setup—and a spot up in the mountains where I kept my RV on my friend George’s land. Eight acres of avocados and limes… it was like a dream. I had saved just enough to get by for a few months, and as a carpenter, I could pick up side work here and there with George when I really needed to. It wasn’t easy, but something in me said, “Go for this,” and for the most part, I just followed the dream. I was young, and I figured—if I was going to do this, now was the time.
Back at the mural, the coffee shop attached to the same building became my daily hangout, and having the ocean right across the street made the whole experience even more surreal. Looking back, it was one of the most fun and creatively freeing times of my life—full of uncertainty, but also full of magic. And I’ll never regret taking that leap of faith.
In the painting itself, I started with just one line that ran through all three panels. That line ended up holding the whole piece together—guiding it from one side to the other, from light into dark. In a lot of ways, it mirrors what I was going through at the time: figuring things out, taking risks, and pushing through the unknown to find something real. It was one of those moments where the challenge and the beauty were totally intertwined. My time in Santa Barbara became a kind of catalyst for my art career, and I’ll always be grateful for it.
