Solar Power

Dad and I were talking recently about one of his favorite TV shows - one that documents all sorts of new technology and science. One episode was about alternate energy sources, and Dad described large towers, filled with a fluid that is heated to high temperatures by an array of parabolic mirrors directed by computer to always focus the sun's light on the fluid reservoir. Even on a cloudy day there are enough focused photons to heat the liquid and produce large amounts of electricity with the heat. Dad said the towers are bathed in so much concentrated light that a band around the middle of the reservoir glows.

I haven't seen the towers or looked them up, but Dad's descriptions went around in my head. Ultimately the concept of large towers full of light, providing power for all our homes, inspired a painting. Click on the image for a larger view. This isn't at all how I picture the towers, but it's how my inner child feels about them, and about clean energy like that.

I'm trying to move towards a more childlike expression in my artwork; this painting represents a few small steps in that direction. I like some parts of this quite a bit - other parts less so (still too controlled). I'll get there, and I'm happy about the journey I'm on. I painted another piece in the last few days - one that rose up in me very strongly and just poured out onto the paper. I'm happier with it, as it represents even more loosening up. I'll show it in another post.