Saint Joan of Arc

Saint Joan of Arc is a canvas created after I was shocked with the burning of the cathedral of Notre Dame. Visually in my imagination I felt the tragedy of my favorite part of the stone building- that the gargoyles were burning !
Based on a compositional form of the Fibonacci spiral, the eye moves around with areas that engage and cause reflection on the nature of visual connection to history; it celebrates an impermanent world.
The Gargoyle has always wanted to become alive in my art and here was the opportunity to let them out. Each survived the fire as they were stone and were placed safely against the strong winds of so high in a building and being made of stone their heavy weight a protection too.
The Joan of Arc figure holds the flag of France and bears the cross of the crusader. She was an inspiration to the fighting men defending France in war battles but was burned at the steak on order of the King either because of her disguise as a man caused insult to the royal station as she disobeyed the order to not wear men's costume or because the church found it to be heresy for her to say she had visions from God on how to win so many victories in battles in war she lead . This burning death can be seen in her shadow against the wall from her figure alive and holding up the French flag.
France is seen as I experienced the city from an airplane flight into the majestic city... with the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre distant and inviting.
In creating paintings I like to try for new discovery of techniques that I have not yet tried or feel worth pursuing again. Here I used two liner perspective points on the same vanishing trace line to give the illusion of looking down into the city from the tops of the cathedral. I wanted to make an area of height that would communicate a unease like the uncertainty experienced contemplating the unknown..... such as what would become of the spirits in the place if the building was completely destroyed.