Page 130 - maxim art monograph

The Gold Country Miner Coming Out of the Mine, acrylic on canvas, 2022
I admire the expression of the Californian red man, who is young, dynamic, and fighting with his destiny. The contrast between red and blue and the cave is impres- sive, while the colors of the colorful land are captivating. The much-loved Moon with the orange crescent is very original. This miner is the heart of the earth that beats deep within it and churns its blood; in terms of the earth, we call it “lava” (when it comes out as a volcano) and “magma” when it is hidden in the depths.
— Stamatis Skliris
Argonaut Miner, acrylic on canvas, 2022
An iconic weathered face peering through rings of end- less glittering desire that has lured him a mile under- ground, with only a tiny smoldering cigarette on his way out of the mine (no risk of flames), symbolizing the spiri- tual struggle that accompanies our digging down into the earth to live. At the same time, it symbolizes the power of a single tiny spark to ignite a devastating flame trans- forming the mine into a silent rock tomb.
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