"Enlightenment" ponderings

 A quest for enlightenment must include a questioning of traditional thinking and a search for something deeper than what's apparent on the surface. That's a rather intangible idea to communicate in the visual world of paint. What better way than with the use of chiaroscuro and an expression of wonder?

 I love the symbolic nature of light and darkness; its near perfect analogy for opposites and its power to evoke the struggle between good and evil. The sheer drama of it is tantalizing and seductive!

 I tried several different boxes to house the light, finally choosing the open crate. It seemed to acknowledge the fact that this matter, symbolized by the light, is alive and to be shared.
It is appealing to me that light is a vague enough metaphor to be interpreted by the viewer as their own quest for enlightenment.

This painting is 24x24, oil on panel and part of my Building a Life Series.