The more deeply I contemplate the processes of nature the more I find myself in a musical space. The pure joy of this eternally dancing, multi-dimensional space of light, color, and sound I have tried to capture on the two-dimensional plane of the paper. This body of work has evolved from the inner need to express the rhythmic, harmonious structures I feel within the all-embracing unity of nature. I happily share with you these visual recordings, the memories of my explorations of this space.

I am continually striving to bring my painting to a level best described by Charles Baudelaire and James Joyce. Baudelaire's theory of correspondence states that "a work of Art was to be so expressive of basic feelings and so evocative of ideas and emotion that it would rise to a level of which all the arts were interrelated - sounds would suggest colors, colors sounds, and even ideas would be evoked by sounds and colors." Joyce states that "the aesthetic experience is a simple beholding of the object. You put a frame around it, and seeing it as one thing, you then become aware of the relationship of part to part, each part to the whole and the whole to each of its parts. This is the essential factor - rhythm, harmonious rhythm of relationships. And when a fortunate rhythm has been struck by the artist you experience radiance. You are held in aesthetic arrest." I greatly appreciate the opportunity I have had to pursue these ideals and I am very thankful to my husband Stelios and my daughters Anna and Eleni for their constant support and encouragement.

During the twentieth century the work of many scientists has changed dramatically our view of nature. Fritjof Capra, physicist and supporter of the new paradigm, describes this vision of reality. "Modern physics pictures matter not at all passive and inert but as being in a continuous dancing and vibrating motion whose rhythmic patterns are determined by the molecular, atomic, and nuclear configurations. We have come to realize that there are no static structures in nature. There is stability, but this stability is one of dynamic balance, and the further we penetrate into matter the more we need to understand its dynamic nature – to understand its patterns."

This perspective of nature has fortunately led us to a more holistic view of the world. We now understand reality better when we direct our attention to its processes and see it as a network of dynamic relationships that include the human observer and his or her consciousness in an essential way.

Ecology, an area in which I have a special interest, looks at the world in terms of interrelatedness and interdependence of all phenomena. Each part of an ecosystem has two opposite tendencies: an integrative tendency to function as part of the larger whole, and a self assertive tendency to preserve autonomy. In a healthy system there is a dynamic balance between integration and self assertion.

Similarly, I have found music to be helpful in understanding the nature of reality. The essence of a melody does not lie in its notes; it lies in the relationships between the notes, in the intervals, frequencies, and rhythms.

During the creative process I wanted to express more graphically this view of nature by dividing my compositions. Taking ecology and music as my models, the intention was not to fragment or isolate the parts from the whole, but rather to differentiate and diversify my composition to give greater emphasis to the harmonious rhythmic patterns that unify the space – parts to whole, whole to parts.

It is my hope that, through a greater understanding and appreciation for the unity of life, we will move from our ego-centered, out of balance behavior patterns (which have proven to be very destructive to the life of the planet as a whole) towards more balanced harmonious relationships with nature. The time is now for all of us to raise our consciousness, and from an inner space of truth and love we can create the beautiful healing patterns that life on earth so desperately needs.

Ava Orphanoudakis