Karuna

About the work

"The philosophies of Buddhism outline 4 elements that sustain and build the true source of love. My favorite is that of “karuna”, which describes the principle of compassion: the desire to lessen the suffering of your beloved, and the development of a deep compassion for the world around you in general. This painting depicts the Russian Gulch area right by Mendocino, California. The arching structures leading up from the bottom represent our paths converging here, meeting in a place very dear to both of us, while the iconic Panhorst Bridge symbolises the union of our masculinity and femininity in the glow of a new season of partnership. I endeavor to bring the principles of karuna into this union, and by extension to the landscape that will chaperone us. Mendocino, like so much of California, is in need of actionable compassion as it faces the modern dilemmas of climate change in the West, namely the wildfire and drought that threaten to destroy it." - Noelle Phares