Natura Forma One by Paul Kingsley Squire
This week, we are delighted to showcase ‘Natura Forma One,’ an exquisite oil painting by the talented artist Paul Kingsley Squire. This piece serves as the inaugural creation in his captivating series, ‘Natura Forma,’ which delves deep into the divine feminine archetype and the profound interconnectedness of humanity and nature.
In ‘Natura Forma One,’ Paul masterfully combines a palette of blues, greens, and subtle shades of reds to evoke a haunting and ethereal quality. The chosen colours create an atmosphere that envelops viewers, drawing them into a mystical realm where the boundaries between the human and natural worlds blur.
The ‘Natura Forma’ series itself is a testament to Paul’s artistic exploration. It commenced in the winter of 2022, and each artwork within it explores the embodiment of nature through both human and animal forms. The artist skill fully employs negative space and restricted colour schemes to craft images that are not only visually intriguing but also laden with symbolic meaning.
The primary intention behind these paintings is to establish symbolic connections with the natural world and its inhabitants, whether they be human beings or animals. Squire’s art endeavours to create a unified visual language that transcends the conventional boundaries that often separate us from the natural world. By merging human and animal elements within a shared visual space, the artist invites us to contemplate the universal connections that bind all living things.
‘Natura Forma One’ serves as an evocative introduction to this ongoing series. As you immerse yourself in this mesmerising artwork, take a moment to contemplate the profound interconnectedness of life, symbolically represented within the landscape of the natural world. Paul’s ‘Natura Forma’ series is a testament to the enduring beauty and mystery of the divine feminine and the intricate tapestry of life itself.
We invite you to explore the ‘Natura Forma’ series further, as it promises to be a rich and thought-provoking journey through the realm where art, nature, and spirituality converge. Paul Kingsley Squire’s ‘Natura Forma One’ is a stunning introduction to this artistic odyssey, one that invites us to see the world through the lens of interconnectedness and the beauty of the divine feminine.
VIEW ALL ARTWORKS BY PAUL KINGSLEY SQUIRE
Questions to the artist about the artwork
What inspired you to begin the ‘Natura Forma’ series and choose the divine feminine archetype as a central theme?
This series of paintings evolved from another collection of pencil drawings “Human Nature” that I have been developing since 2017. Both series were inspired by the many myths and nature based belief systems that worship the Earth as a mother, a goddess and creator of life.
This force has been worshipped from very ancient times and is part of our (human) archetypal view of the world that we inhabit. It’s the “Yin” of the I-Ching, the female creative energy that moves through the universe and is associated with the cycles of the moon, fertility, birth and the turning of the seasons. Throughout history there are many female deities associated with this energy, ruling over a multitude of natural phenomena and inner human traits such as creativity, collaboration, intuition, empathy and compassion.
We are of course, facing huge environmental challenges in the present era, unofficially termed the Anthropocene, resulting in chaotic climate changes. While very real political and environmental changes are needed, I think symbolically speaking, the divine feminine is making a very welcome and timely return.
You mentioned that this series explores the universal connections of life within the natural world. Could you elaborate on how this particular painting, ‘Natura Forma One,’ embodies that theme and the message you hope viewers take away from it?
The landscape of trees that inhabit and ultimately create the form, can be viewed as both trees and veins / arteries. I intended with this first painting of the series, that this message could be communicated to, and perceived by the viewer, as the trees can symbolise the veins and arteries of the planet itself. The dark blue / green colour scheme symbolises the divine feminine’s association with the Moon and the Earth, evoking a sense of mystery.
Could you describe your creative process when developing this painting? Did you encounter any challenges or moments of inspiration that were particularly noteworthy?
When I had the idea for this series, and before starting this work, I needed to decide on a process. How could I create a unity throughout the work, how would I apply the paint, what would the colour scheme be and, as it was the first work in the series, do I have the necessary skill to actually paint it ?
So, there were several challenges which all needed to be resolved, at least mentally before I began. I decided to use a limited colour palette and realised that to make the form seamlessly resolve against the background, I would need to paint the background gradient first. The figure then organically grew from painting the trees as the work progressed. The background gradient running the work, creates the seamlessness I was after. It was a great moment, when nearing completion of the painting, I realised that the ideas and process had worked well. I was very happy with the result of this work, which is always one of the most satisfying feelings for any artist.
As ‘Natura Forma’ is an ongoing series, what can we anticipate in terms of its future evolution? Are there new themes or techniques you plan to explore in upcoming artworks?
As well as other feminine forms, I have completed a few animals so far: a big cat (Tiger), Horse, Stag and an Eagle, all of which have traditional meanings attached to their “spirit animal”. I’m hoping to add to these with many more animals, birds and even marine life, although that may need a revised approach.
The colour schemes and subjects may well change as the series develops, but the overall message will remain the same.
VIEW ALL ARTWORKS BY PAUL KINGSLEY SQUIRE
