Tropical Rainforest comes alive on a wall mural

If by imagination alone, the forest would be a fairyland; by biological measure, it is science; by art, it is romantic, realistic, abstract - all combined. And where is its soul, the source of its eternal spring that keeps it living, whole and balance, self regenerating, self regulating?

Composed and painted by Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature - School on Blog

 

Morning sun peeps through a pristine watershed  that feeds this forest stream, 

habitat of resident and migratory birds such as the white heron and mallard duck.  
                       

How little an artist I am to be able to bring home nature, in utmost humility, a little part of creation, the rainforest, the richest of all biomes on earth;

Little do I know the interior of a forest, the throbbing heart of this oldest ecosystem, abode of man before he rose from his humanoid ancestors; 

If by imagination alone, the forest would be a fairyland, by biological measure, it is science; by art, it is romantic, realistic, abstract - all combined; 

And where is its soul, the source of its eternal spring that keeps it living, whole and  balance, self regenerating, self regulating, that I tried to paint;

But poorly my eyes can see, poorly I hear the true song of the creatures, much less their language, poorly I smell the fragrance of earth and flower;

How little, how uncertain I am in capturing the wholeness of my subject, but to compensate it with awe and respect as I paint it on a blank wall;

And if this is prayer, then I would spend hours and hours, without let-up, without boredom, inexhaustible I let flow colors and lines and hues;   

Until the forest takes shape, rising to heaven in many layers and niches, season after season, until it becomes a happy home of a myriad of creatures;

From the lowly to the lofty, the invisible to the giant, the meek to the proud, the weak to the strong, sessile to the mobile - all living in a state of oneness;

It is a mystery: where there is diversity there is union; where there is disagreement there is understanding; where there is discord there is unity;  

The forest is an epitome of such kingdom, a little kingdom in man's standard, wild and rough in his own rules of kindness and beauty, and judgment;

It is a little kingdom on a little wall I found myself painting, my grandchild Marchus by my side, still too young yet pure and free from the bias of man;  

Courage I told myself, a brush on hand, steady now, looked up and an unseen hand took my hand; clearly it is the hand of the Greatest Artist of all  

   

     

     

     

Details of A Tropical Rainforest Wall Mural (3.5 ft x 15 ft) in acrylic by Dr Abe V Rotor at his residence in Lagro, Block 61 61, Lot 55 (corner Kudyapi St and Lam-ang St)  2015.  The mural is an integral part (3rd panel) of a larger mural (7 ft x 30 ft).   

The mural is made up of  three sections as shown in the above photos: 

• Emergent trees and their tenants (top);
• Exploring a forest stream (middle),
• Food web and energy flow (lowermost)

    

Among the countless creatures of the tropical rainforest that comprise its rich biodversity are: a rat, giant among its kind in the lowland, lives in a hollow of a tree; boa constrictor adapted to arboreal life, transient gulls adapted to both sea and forest life; tree iguana that branched out of marine igunas, and those that live in dry conditions; chamelion the master of camouflage and mimicry; sloth, mother and young, clinging on a tree motionless and sleeping most of its life.  

 

My grandson, Marchus Andrei, 6 months old and Nanny Gelyn Gabao.

Children in a make-believe setting: cool, fresh water flows down a waterfall onto a stream and flaccid pond of lotus and Nymphaea, habitat of freshwater fish, reptiles  and amphibians. 

A bird call echoes through this  thick stand of old trees and saplings

 at the edge of a forest.

Lesson: Former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio 738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday