135. Ocala Public Art, Life Cycle

Artwork Details

Title: Life Cycle

Medium: Paint

Dimensions: 18' x 10'

Year: 2020

Artist Statement:

The concept for this mural was inspired by Arnold’s homestead that he began creating with his family last year. After developing an intense passion for gardening, a variety of animals including chickens, ducks, turkeys, a rabbit and a pig were added to the thriving farm, creating his own paradise.

While working with his easel on the back porch, Arnold was inspired by the beauty of watching the fruits of his labor grow. Seeing the transformation of the flowers pollinated by the insects, then experiencing the growing fruit and seeing the life cycle start all over again, the concept for the mural was born.

“It is easy to get lost in the modern world. For instance, by purchasing food from a grocery store, it turns our direct connection with our earth into a mental abstraction, it severs our connection to the source of life, to the ebb and flow of nature and her bio-rhythms.” said Arnold. “This mural is intended to re-inspire that natural connection within the observer. For too long man has attempted to establish dominion over nature, tragically assuming we are somehow separate from the rest of the earth. May this artwork serve as a reminder that, far from separate, we are all one unified and continuous whole with our environment.”

About the Artist

Drake Arnold is an artist working in both traditional and digital media. He uses acrylic and aerosol for his

work when painting on canvas or wall surfaces. His digital projects include creating animations and interactive design work for such applications as projection mapping, 3d printing and virtual reality. His work can be described as containing elements of psychedelia, fantasy, nature, surrealism, and classical inspiration.