These days I am fascinated by geometric marks made by early humans during the Ice Age. I think of our common ancestors as I place the circles, spirals, triangles, dots and wavy lines they made into my new paintings. They were the original artists. From our tribal beginnings, we humans felt a deep need to share what we saw or experienced with others.
I am comforted by their marks. They are evidence of the long arc of human life on our planet. We have found ways to adapt and survive. And yet we are fragile creatures, as our current global pandemic reminds us. In this dangerous time, I feel the presence of these prehistoric souls. They seem to surround me with messages they still want to share—if only I listen hard enough. I imagine one of them, standing near the cave entrance, reaching for charcoal and ochre to inscribe the waiting rock. What did the artist intend, I wonder?
I stand back from the painting on my easel to regard the ancient signs I’ve placed alongside my own marks. There are primordial messages from ancestors whispered here—and I am listening.
Cynthia J Lee Art Blog 
Beautifully said – as i mentioned in a fb comment, i’m totally immersed in the book First Signs, and without actual intent, i have found very dark cave like images emerging….basically the result of screwing up a painting i was actually quite liking, then it went all to hell, as they do sometimes….so from a very quiet grey space, i found myself covering the whole image in very dark paint and then scraping thro to reveal these passages of light! i don’t think i’ve ever covered up a painting with dark prussian blue and paynes grey….usually i go the other way so, after leaving it at a very incomplete place the other day, i found myself feeling like i was in a cave, i’m still not finished with it, but i’m fascinated with the emergence of these light and dark areas. The question is of course what where they communicating…like the author states…it’s still very much a mystery! i also love the continuity of image making with these ancient beings. loving it! cheers, linda
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Thanks for your comment! I really am finding this topic to be a rich vein of inspiration to mine! I look forward to seeing where your own creative journey leads…
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Not sure if you are aware of a dvd Civilations; From the Ancient to the Modern, Art and Culture define who we are. It’s a PBS series, with 9 episodes…i got it from the library, and we watched the first episode last night….it was all about the cave paintings referred to in First Signs! It also has explores much more, but to see, in colour, the cave paintings, the red dots, and negative hand images…was fabulous! anyway, i thought if you didn’t know about it – you should 🙂 cheers, Linda
ps you can see my latest 2 ‘cave’ like images on instagram!
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