Luminosity is described as the relative quantity of light, which is how I experience the Divine. I have always been deeply spiritual and though I am a devout Anglican have been fascinated by all religions, and through reading extensively have found a pearl of universal wisdom.
“The spiritual freedom we seek cannot be found by grasping at, retreating to, or protecting our perceived safe spaces. Our freedom lies in remaining open continuously, not only to Life’s changes but also to the Divine Light within us and others. This is our choice. Although often perceived as a weakness, being open and surrendering to the experience of the present moment is our greatest strength. By authentically living Life in the Now, we submit to Divine guidance where we find the freedom to see everything equally and sacred in Truth.” Peter Santos
Inspiration:
I regularly attend the Sunday Eucharist at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. The choir singing, the organ playing, the rituals, and the smell of incense, all have a profound effect on me, but when I'm in a kneeling position, with the glow of light coming through the windows and the flickering of candles dancing against the copper, I am always humbled by Divine greatness.
I love traveling, and when I do, it is customary for me to visit places of worship. I would allow myself to sit and experience the spirituality and bathe in the light, often overwhelmed and deeply emotional. If it’s a church or Cathedral, I would light a votive candle in remembrance of my parents. In most religions, candles are associated with a search for truth, clarity, and illumination. For Anglicans and Catholics, the Paschal and Advent candles are of great importance.
Since ancient times, people have worshipped the sun or light. The Incas built a sun temple at Machu Picchu for their god Inti, the Japanese worshipping Amaterasu, and the Egyptians Ra.
It is believed that the pyramids of Giza were aligned with the autumn equinox, and so too many more ancient places of worship. Churches, cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, and temples are all designed for light to enter to create an emotional and spiritual atmosphere.
My passion for history, architecture, and spiritualism has led me to create this series on buildings that I've visited. Though the architecture of all these buildings is impressive, the materials are cold and harsh, as is often their place in history. By illuminating the physical, emotional, and spiritual shadows, I seek to remind and be reminded that the light of the Divine can dissolve the negativity of the world we live in.
I often use a perspective from a sitting or kneeling position, as to create a feeling of humbleness, in contrast with Divine greatness, focusing less on the perfection and awe of the buildings, but more on the emotion I experienced.
Technique:
My preferred medium is oil, though I start with a thin layer of acrylic, which creates a translucency, allowing the texture of the canvas through. By combining mediums and creating texture, I convey the hardship of being human. The very reason why we need to visit places of worship. The colour palette I use is mostly connected to spiritual energy, as colour are used symbolically in all religions.
The Square:
As I have found great significance in the symbolism of the square in all religions, I have decided to use it as a feature in this body of work. Since antiquity, the square symbolised the 4 corners of the earth, the 4 directions. This symbolism can be found in most contemporary religions too. In Islam, the square represents the earth and its stability; in Buddhism the four noble truths: are dukkah, samudaya, nirodha, and magga; in Hinduism, it is a reminder to live a harmonious and balanced life. In Christianity, the square also symbolises discipleship and loyalty, and for this reason is often used in religious artwork, as well as architecture. In biblical numerology, 4 means, creation; 3 Divinity and the total 7, Completeness. Therefore for me, the square represents humanity, the Divine creation, which I use to frame the Divine frequency of 963HZ.
I desire that through this body of work, my love for the Divine, my love for humanity, and my love for life itself, is evident; and that my legacy through my art will be Love, Hope, and Light
."......... Clever how much depth has been created in this work with so few resources. Clearly, an artist full of guts has been at work here. The artist is able to turn cold stone buildings, into atmospheric warm spaces."
Jury report, Painting of the Year competition
