Lunar Leap original collage on canvas

This collage is a visualization of Beethoven's bagatelle opus 33, #2 in C, part of the Little Nothings series of all seven of these short piano pieces.

This piece presents a weirdly coincidental and synchronistic depiction of Taoist inner alchemy. Unbeknownst to me when I made this there is a Chinese legend about a 3 legged toad who lives in the moon cyclically swallowing and regurgitating it. The Taoist immortal and alchemist, Liu Haichan, also had a 3 legged toad as a pet, who makes an appearance in an old text on inner alchemy streaming light from his open mouth. Apparently, I also drew a 3 legged toad trying to swallow the moon.

Each element in this piece is found in the music somewhere, except for the moon. The piano starts off playing what sounds like toad or frog leaps, which gives way to the rolling wave, and then to the stairs in the background. I suppose the toad could have just taken the stairs up to the moon, but the tongue is much more efficient if it will reach.

The act of continuously swallowing and regurgitating the moon represents the cycle of receptivity and creativity, yin and yang, how we must internalize the light of spirit before embarking on any creative endeavor  releasing the results of that creativity to the world.

Beethoven had a habit of writing affirmations beside his musical sketches, a form of inner alchemy. Things like:  “I will seize Fate by the throat; it shall not crush me completely,” and “Let your deafness no longer be a secret – even in your art!” This strikes me as his attempt to swallow the moon, and in the process he gained immortality

Original colored pencil toad drawing, pen and ink moon, and collage on canvas with the sides painted metallic gold. Measures 12x12 inches and .5 inches deep. Varnished to provide archival UV protection.

Pick up or delivery available if you live in the Seattle area. Contact me to arrange details.