Seven Halos by Mark Larson

Seven Halos is my response to the devastating 2017 wildfire in the Columbia River Gorge national scenic area near where I live.  As someone who has spent a lot of time hiking among the mossy trees and ferns in that area, I was heartsick.  In this painting, I created my own magical kingdom far above the fray, where nature’s ambassador and his flamingo emissaries stand guard as haloed hummingbirds take refuge in the mossy branches and ferns above. 

The Vitruvian man behind the lion, which echoes the wing beats of the hummingbird and the marble setting itself, is based on my travels to San Mineato Cathedral in Florence. They are reminders that man is an integral part of the natural world, not separate from it.  Considering the Gorge fire was started by a teenager throwing firecrackers into the tinder dry forest, this has never been more apparent than it is today.