People are coming up to me these days thanking me for my contribution to Facebook and Twitter. Why? I ask them. “Because you’re so positive,” they always respond. And then I find myself explaining: “So many people are filled with woe, angst, distress, polarization, and general malaise that I decided it is my spiritual contribution to the world to always take the least likely, least-popular approach. Which is, to see that all things, in time, happen for a Bigger Cause.”

Now, I know a lot of people think this is a lot of crock. But I’m operating from personal experience here, folks. Not some fancy philosophical, pseudo-intellectual assessment. Or a need to be unique. Or a demented mental capacity. Last I looked, or asked my friends and loved ones (whom I trust to not b-s me) they all say, “We know you’re just doing your thing! And that’s what makes you so … so you!”

As a young artist I trained myself to look at things from what my instructors at art school implored: Get a New Angle! See it from a Different Perspective! Try to be … Creative! In time I reversed my definition of art from “something beautiful” to “an idea.” Simple! Ahhh, but so hard for some people to think of art, which is the reflection of life, as simply … about ideas.

The Serpent's Rainbow

So I’ve picked one of my pieces I’ve never shown here on Lord Flea Sings … a work on paper done in mixed media. Take a good look at it first before I relate my own unique perspective. YOUR perspective is actually more important than mine. Because, after all, I’m just the creator of this here little piece of smudged up fibers and pigments.

(a few seconds here, of actual “seeing” on your part … just gaze at the image, please)

Okay. So you probably saw elements popping out from the forms, shapes, swirls, colors—right? A set of buttocks with legs on the right side. A circular motif in the center, which upon closer inspection you realize is a snake with its tail in its mouth. Ahhhhh, things! There are things in this mad swirl of weirdness! Now you feel more comfortable. Stay with me, please … this is really leading us to a point you’ll be pleased to know.

At this point you have amassed several clues as to what this image might possibly represent. And don’t forget its title! The Rainbow Serpent. The artist usually thinks of a title for a piece, or at least I do, in a form of a word map by which the viewer can moe easily enter into the experience of what the image portrays. And possibly, join in with the visceral sensation—through thought, empathy, emotion—that the creator wants to convey.

All right! I’m happy you’re indulging me so far. And maybe you don’t give a damn at this point but I’m going to tell you what the image means to me just in case you’re curious about what this conglomeration could possibly have to do with you.

First of all is the pose of the main form, of which you see only the rear quarters (that stunning blue butt and athletic hamstrings!). If you are familiar with the Egyptian goddess kNut you’ll recognize her stance. kNut is always portrayed doing what’s called a “down dog” in yoga, but in the ancient region of the Nile River I doubt they were into performing asanas or honoring the Sanskirt Ommm. They had their own set of deities to worship, thank you very much. kNut is found on every ancient sarcophagus, wall painting, carved obelisk ever discovered, along with the ubiquitous Ankh, the symbol of eternal life. Like the Ankh, kNut portrays the eternalness, the continuity of life, only her many-breasted job description is about the here-and-now, the sun itself always rising and setting, each day, forever, no matter what. Her many boobs signify the abundance of nourishment and opportunities life on earth provides its dwellers. Her down-dog reflects the similar path the sun makes as it journeys from the eastern horizon to the western, each day.

Ahhhh! I hear you say, for those of you who have never been introduced to the symbolism behind this “idea” of kNut, or maybe never ever heard of this ancient deity who was as integral a part of these ancient folks approach to the art of living as some of us today subscribe to whatever religion, or secularism, you happen to practice. Perhaps your eyes have opened a teeny bit? And if you begin to see something differently, ahhhhh, your mind itself begins to flex, and open, and embrace new ideas!

But what about the creepy snake, Lordflea, I hear the murmurs. Don’t think it goes over my head that here in the West snakes are usually the bearers of evil (reference: bad ass serpent in Garden of Paradise, Genesis 101) and people generally cringe instead of reflect higher meaning when they see the legless-armless little fellas. Well, from the most ancient times this particular rendering of the snake, positioned in a egg-shape coil with its tail in its mouth, has signified the … whole entire shebang, the whole enchilada, the Cosmic Universe ITself, known and unknown. Creator and Created. All of US, all of everything ever existing, or about to be.

So that’s IT in a kNut-shell. If you gave me a few moments of your busy life (and we allllll are so busy these days) perhaps you gave yourself permission to see something that at first glance was confusion, weirdness, alien. But if you stuck with me, and gave yourself permission to breathe … slowly … and followed the ray of Light that I present here … I know you will open your lotus, your mind, a bit more to the glorious sunlight of awareness. All of us can grow. This world we live in is about growing. Ever more toward evolutionary heights. There is no limit to the heights we, as a united race of humankind, can grow, together, if we stop bickering about our differences and get on with the task of flexing our minds and growing to our fullest potential — Unlimited!

The last element of this image I’d like to throw out to you for some cud to chew on, are the geometric shapes making up the remainder of this composition. Can you see that they are actually huge amethyst crystals? Look again (saving you the scroll).

kNut and the Oroborous

There are somethings the viewer just doesn’t care about, and maybe this background information is falling on ears not listening, but as I created this work, sending prayers into my strokes, my smudging, my rubbing and messing as I always do with each of my images—I wanted to insert the possibility of humankind reaching this apex of potential. So I surrounded this image with magnificently gigantic amethyst CRYSTALS. Why? The story of what that means can be another post, another day. I know you webbies out there are taxed to the end of your limit, those who read this far. I send you all a big hug across the waves of this glorious world, from my Heart to your Heart.

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human Love and cyber-style-Light from your pal, lordflea