Fire Element

This is the Five Elements painting for Fire.

It is the third painting in the series commissioned by my son, Sensei Joshua Copson for his martial arts studio, The Blue Dragon Dojang.

Fire represents power, intention, endurance, passion, and the indomitable spirit. Furthermore, Fire teaches us to harness power, and build the endurance needed to use it.

The shapes in these paintings are consistent with the five elements of the Gorintou – the Five Ring Pagoda. The Fire Element is traditionally a pyramid or triangle, resulting in an interesting synthesis. I have discovered from studies in other traditions that many attribute power to the pyramid. Actually, the form that most embodies that energy is the tetrahedron – a pyramid-like shape with a triangular base as well as triangular sides.  The tetrahedron is the most basic shape for all manifested form.

In the martial arts, to master fire is to master energy – both yours and your opponents, to beat down, push through, and overcome all that stands before you.

“Power is what you get when you dip into that well and add strength and speed to your technique.”

~Sensei Joshua Copson

 

The originals in the Five Elements series are 30″ x 24″ mixed media on canvas paintings and will be hung in the Blue Dragon Dojang in Lovingston, Virginia. You can buy framed prints and posters in a variety of custom formats and reproductions  printed on all sorts of stuff including tote bags, phone cases and coffee mugs.