Looking thoughtfully for a long time

I enjoyed working with charcoal, there is a subtle softness to it, a sensitivity between the charcoal and paper.

Looking thoughtfully for a long time. 24/7/19. L:60 H:43cm. Charcoal and pen on handmade paper.

This artwork draws upon my interest with the potential for an afterlife. This is in response to my experience of my mother passing away. I had what I could only describe as some kind of visual image occur whilst I was in bed trying to sleep. What I saw was a door or space filled with a white light and a ladder extending into it with what seemed like mist or something cloud like occupying the space close to the light. This visualisation must have lated for 2 or 3 minuets before disappearing.

It is interesting as I did some research on people having near death experiences and it seems as though some people have whitenesed a similar phenomena were they see a white light. I ask my self if this was a dream or something real, either way to this day I still do not know. Although I did not have a near death experience, it is curious to hear of similar experiences. I think there is a lot about this reality I am experiencing that is not fully understood. What really do we know about ourselves in terms of how for example our brain functions and how we decode reality. What do we know about this so called physical reality we exist in? Science may tell us otherwise based on proven facts but how do you measure personal experience as we all have a unique way of seeing the world around us.

For further information about this artwork or to see others like it please see: https://www.martinharmanart.com/drawings--paintings.html