Front cover (the angel of life and death).
The book.
Back cover (figure in a vessel).
The following explicatory text is copied from my Flickr posting that accompanied the center image of the book above:
THE BOOK OF LIFE
This is a photo of The Book of Life (aka Souls sketchbook) in situ on the table in my studio where I created it.
It was originally intended to be the book wherein the images for The Book of Souls (ongoing collaboration with Tim Lowly) would be created. However, things diverged, as they do, & the images gradually (or quite quickly) became something else. However, the original name stuck, as I'd inscribed it on the forehead of the face (angel?) on the cover.
However, now that the book is complete & the dust has settled, I decided it would avoid confusion (for me, at least) to rename the book, so it's now The Book of Life...
I've renamed it thusly, as I like the sound of the name, but also:
1. George Frederic Watts, a Victorian symbolist painter that Martin Beek (Flickr associate) reminded me of, had a concept entitled "The House of Life", a building which would feature a cycle of frescos or murals depicting various aspects of the human life cycle, etc. He never realized his dream, never finding a suitable building available. So, this is for you, GFW.
2. In the Yom Kippur (which occurred recently) service, on the Day of Atonement, the names of the righteous are inscribed (metaphysically speaking) into the Book of Life before it is closed until the next year.
In any case, this sketchbook covers many aspects of human existence & beyond. Parts of it are unclear, unfinished, unsuccessful & so forth. However, I feel that it also contains some of my best work so far.
LINKS
Tim Lowly: www.flickr.com/photos/timlowly/
Martin Beek: www.flickr.com/photos/oxfordshire_church_photos/
GF Watts on Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frederic_Watts
GF Watts, the complete works: www.georgefredericwatts.org/
