Flatwoods
This is an acrylic painting by artist and muralist Ian Cleary. The painting is of the Floridian ecosystem known as the Pine Flatwoods. Pine Flatwoods are the most extensive terrestrial ecosystem in Florida. This community evolved under frequent fire, seasonal drought, and flooded soil conditions. This community requires the destructive power of fire to reset the balance and provide opportunities for new life. This natural cycle, life from destruction, demonstrates that life is forever in motion and that death is only the illusion of an individual.
The painting also depicts a pine cone surrounded by Golden Spirals. The Golden Spiral is a growth pattern found in nature and represents the infinite potential of life; pinecones have this pattern in the growth of their scales. The juxtaposition of the Golden Spiral or Fibonacci Spiral, Seed of Life, and natural landscape symbolizes the perfection of nature and the cycles of life.
This painting was created with acrylic paint on a 2ft x 4ft birch panel.