The first time I saw a black sand beach on Jamaica’s south coast I was transformed. I had that opportunity years ago while studying geology. On the trip, the sand was mentioned as a mere curiosity while we passed through to examine the rocks and fossils.
But there was something different, something which kinda clicked on that day. I grabbed a bag and piled some into it to take home.
Jamaica is famous for its white sand beaches, however, black sand beaches are scattered along the south coast and are partially responsible for a large magnetic anomaly there. The source(s) or provenance of the sand has been subjected to intense study … but there is just something about how the sand sparkles on the beach. On a clear day, the sunlight hits the grains … and they shine back, as if to say… look at me, I am here. The often piercing sparkles reminded me of the distant stars I loved to gaze at in my telescope growing up.
Consider that it has been calculated that there are more stars in the known universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches of the World. That’s a whole lot of stars. With just short of 100 billion galaxies in the known universe and with over 100 billion stars in each galaxy… there are is just so much out there. If all the galaxies were to turn to peas, it is said they would fill an indoor stadium.
So what do I mean when I use it? Well, one half of me views black sand as a metaphor for survival. You see … each grain on that beach represents some of the most resistant minerals. They have been sorted and sifted for ages. The other half of me wants the viewer to reflect on really just how small we are in the scheme of things. So often we allow the simplicity of life and the beauty of it to be crowded out by what I refer to as ‘human drama’. Perhaps if we think more on just how special it is to even be able to contemplate our place in the universe, it would lead us to a better place.
Painting is my passion. Art is my language. Revolution is my goal
http://www.gunterevolutions.com/
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