ISLAND

Mar 25, 2025

Surrounded by a circle of colorful glass orbs, a woman levitates above a grassy island oasis in a parking lot of cracked asphalt. A shooting star arcs down overhead across sky filled with billowing clouds. Rolling her shoulder, she turns towards its trajectory across fields of wheat and a horizon painted with golden light but she can't reach there while tethered to the island by a long strip of cloth tied around her ankle. The lead restraining her is knotted low on an ornamental staff staked at the edge of the grass. In her left hand she holds a metal loop that seems to have captured a green glass orb from the floating circle. Her right arm can be seen only in contour behind the flow of white fabric flapping in the breeze. The front edge of the cloth draping her covers only down to her hip. A slit in the side exposes skin from her waist up to her chest. Her legs and one shoulder remain bare. — ISLAND (2007), Acrylic on Panel - 30" x 40"

Only by cutting our ties to our “island” can we discover what lies beyond.

This was a personal work later used as the cover for Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantasy Art, edited by Cathy and Arnie Fenner (Underwood Books)

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Additional images from ISLAND

LEFT: Detail from ISLAND featuring a woman surrounded by a circle of colorful glass orbs levitating above a grassy island. She turns toward the horizon with golden light tracing her but she can't move toward it. A long strip of cloth is tied about her ankle, tethering her to an ornate staff staked in the ground at the edge of the grass. CENTER: Figure study on blue toned paper for ISLAND featuring a model posed on a white lawn chair. Her body twists slightly to look back. Her hair whips with the motion and the white cloth draping her billows in the breeze. She holds a metal right in her left hand. Above is sketch of her hand with a slightly different grip. RIGHT: Close detail from ISLAND featuring a woman levitating above a parking lot of cracked asphalt. A circle of colorful glass orbs forms a loose circle around her. In her left hand she holds a metal ring that seems to have captured a green glass orb. — Details and figure study for ISLAND

Book cover for SPECTRUM 15: THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FANTASY ART edited by Cathy Fenner and Arnie Fenner, published by Underwood Books. — **SPECTRUM 15** (Underwood Books)

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Laura Lasley

Mar 26

Thank you. This could be a metaphor for anyone cut off from others, needing to venture outside our own island to connect with others, and to bring what is in our own orbit with us. A powerful metaphor in any application, especially in our current world.

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Dale Johnson

Mar 25

absolutley love this one. So evocative!

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ISLAND

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