Mother Nature 2006

David Michael Bowers painted 'Mother Nature' using traditional oil paints on canvas. The smooth, almost porcelain finish gives the work a classical feel, reminiscent of old master techniques, which required immense patience, skill, and layering of materials. This medium allows for subtle gradations of light and shadow, crucial in rendering the delicate skin tones and the ethereal quality of the figure. However, the symbolism suggests a contemporary message: Mother Nature holds a fragile globe, a visual plea about the state of our planet. The leaves in her hair, and scattered around her, feel brittle. The method of oil painting, with its historical associations of wealth and patronage, contrasts with the urgency of environmental concerns, creating a tension between artistic tradition and modern anxieties. The artist employs the meticulous craftsmanship of the past to underscore a very present-day crisis.