The four elements FIRE, AIR, WATER, and EARTH are ever present in our sensory experience and we know them well.  In the last year I have been researching the forces that effect these elements: the physical, earthly forces and then the level of forces that lie above, the universal or etheric forces. I learned about earthly forces in school when I studied physics: combustion, pressure, buoyancy, gravity, and friction, which work on the physical matter of the elements.

The four universal or spiritual forces WARMTH, LIGHT, TONE, and LIFE have not been taught in the same way in school, but exist none the less. They are often called the etheric forces or the ethers. They have an inherent relationship to the four elements. Through my book study and contemplative work, I have engaged in an intellectual and artistic exploration of the elements and the ether forces.

Through the creation of new work, including collage, poetry and embroidery, I can more effectively interpret and express what I have learned. While creating these pieces, I continue to ponder and contemplate how I can see and experience these elements and forces as they exist in the natural world.