Dawning by Candice Bohannon

"She stands in a ray of light, wearing a crown of ginkgo leaves, nature's opulent shimmering gold.  She is the beauty of fall, and is luminous in the spreading darkness. She lifts her face to the light, bare-chested, bathing in its fading splendor. She is storing up the last glimmers of summer's opulence and preparing inwardly for the coming winter. A new personal awareness—rich and complex—is dawning within.  

This painting was a way for me to explore how light and darkness can symbolize a person's inner dialogue. The crown of ginkgo leaves is a reminder of our intricate relationship with nature and her cycles. The symbolism here is of fall, a time for introspection and reflection and for preparing for difficulty ahead. It is a time for reflecting on the year, of steeling oneself for the coming winter, and sinking roots deeper in an ever more intricate spread." – CANDICE BOHANNON