The original
painting for 'Sacrifice'
An exerpt from the Artist's Statement in the entry to the Pittsburgh Sacred Art Competition:
"Fire has for millennia been a
sacred symbol in the world's religious traditions. From the Old Testament’s burning bush, to
the Holy Spirit’s “tongues of fire”, to countless other myths, fire has been a symbol and even a manifestation
of the divine. With its undulating form, its almost human hunger and
lively dance of light, it is the most captivating of the four primordial
Greek elements of wind, earth and water. In nature and in religion,
fire is the refiner and purifier that creates through destruction, like
the renewed phoenix rising from its ashes. In my art I attempt to vividly
capture this sacred concept of death, renewal and resurrection by involving
fire and flames in the creative process."
"From the death of a giant tree giving life to hundreds of new
seedlings through its decay, to a forest fire bringing renewal to an
ecosystem, to pruning a flower, in like manner letting go crutches and
attachments can enable new life and vitality in our lives and societies.
My art is an attempt to share this sacred concept with others."
More
on Russell's Fire Painting Philosophy
