Gaia 2014 - in progress

I've been thinking a lot about Gaia, lately.

From ancient Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of earth, the primal mother goddess. She gives us a way to think about our planet in a more personal way. I have ideas for a series of sculptures depicting Gaia in many of her aspects, but as this one evolved I named it "Gaia 2014" -- and if you think she looks sad, she is.

If you think of Gaia as the dynamic system that shapes the earth's biosphere, a kind of uber-organism, you may realize that her health and well-being are being attacked on every side.We haven't been good to Gaia over time, and to my mind we need to start treating her with the reverence she is due. For our own benefit, if for no other reason. I guess that's why I want to depict her in as many ways as I can think to.

This piece is being fired in my kiln as I write...