The way of heaven

This semester I took a directed studies on sacred geometry. I worked with professor Phillip Tabb. I explored the idea that geometry is powerfully expressive and has meaning to us. And often when it has meaning it can be considered sacred. What is sacred? Well that's a whole other subject for another time.

So, first I had to learn the difference between pure geometry and sacred geometry. Then I decided to apply what I had learned in a design of a veneered wood panel. The influence of my panel design was the tao. In short, the tao is the "way of heaven" or a "resolution of opposites." In geometric form the tao is represented by a square, triangle, circle. The circle, across most cultures, is considered the most divine, representative of oneness or God. Similarly the square is symbolic of the earth. And geometrically the triangle mediates the two. Hence the tao is the way of the heaven.

After becoming familiar with sacred geometry I embarked on my panel design. Slowly the tao panel design took shape (no pun intended!) geometically. I found it very difficult to transition from square to triangle to circle. Quite interesting if you think about it; the way of heaven is not an easy path to follow, yet it is a worthy one. After the geometry of the panel was established I had to determine where the wood veneers would go on the panel. The grains and colors of the different veneers introduced new challenges. Finally I reached a complete design that I was ready to craft.

I've spent the last couple days crafting the panel. Craft is so different from design. It's so much more intimate. You spend time with the material, understanding it better than you ever could have during the design phase. What you see in the photograph is the craft of my tao panel just prior to adhering it to the substrate. I'm actually about to adhere and press the panel just after this post. So, when it is complete I'll show the final panel.