Evolving Mitochondria?

Flight for Life - a love song;  24.5"x23"; etched copper with fretwork backed in mica

This weekend I heard an illuminating interview with biochemist Sondra Barrett, author of Secrets of Your Cells. Her perspective (via the microscope and microscopy) is a validation of much of what I have long suspected regarding the cellular source of the symbolic images that arise as imperatives to be made visible in the sacred copperworks that emerge from my studio. 

Here are some of her ideas:

"Could the idea of creative triads originate from our biology?
Just think, the genetic code is  made of 3 letters;
as we develop embryologically, at 3 weeks we are 3 layers;
and of course, we have a triune brain of 3 layers as well – brainstem (survival brain), limbic (emotional) and cortex (thinking brain). Our heart has 3 layers. 
We see squares and pentagons, hexagons, too.  And from a  molecular perspective, we don’t have life until we have the hexagon, six-sided molecules  ..."

In light of her revelations, illuminations like Flight for Life - a love song are all the more intriguing. 

Through the Flames; 20" x 16.5"

It all started when I looked into Through the Flames and saw four more spinning energetic forms withing the flaming cave - just like the hovering (angel?) only they were without wings. 

They then all lined up in kind of a chorus line - two on either side of the one with wings.  As I watched they all seemed to be intensely focusing down. What I saw was what appeared to be ray lines (strings?) extending toward a single invisible source. I continued to watch to see what they were all focusing in on I finally saw that it was a BEE!

So, I gathered all of the pieces in the appropriate sizes and began to lay them out, only now they didn't want to be arranged in a chorus line anymore with the bee as the focus below. Instead they arranged themselves in the form you see here (I took this photo with the piece hanging in a window to see the light coming through the mica):

The story that I tell myself about it is that there appears to be a conference going on.  Either the BEE has called it or the "ANGELS" have.  The BEE. of all creatures, is all about communication.  She could certainly report on many aspects of life at this moment - the weather patterns, alterations in vegetative life, the timing of flowers, the balances and imbalances of nature. The bee is within a hexagram, the signature form of the hive as well as the Holy of Holies.  Remember that Sondra Barrett says "we don't have life until we have the hexagon."

One of the "ANGELS" has donned wings. It has been given the assignment to go into some kind of action.  The position of the wings is different from the hovering of the "angel" in the cave. It's definitely ready for take off.


As a devout gardener, my concern for the welfare of the bees of our world and their apparent demise is not being reflected here. There is a feeling of benevolence, albeit something that requires action.

This may all be a figment of my own imagination, but I'm not alone. When it was finished, Julie told me that she had just had a waking vision of something very similar, only it was taking place within a tree trunk.  Karin was amazed because she had seen the same cast of characters several years ago only with the wings folded in.  She remembers making a drawing of it. But it was Zoe  that came up with the most extraordinary insight.  "Shahna, it looks like something is happening within the mitochondria." 

So what do you think is happening?
Please do Post A Comment under the calendar listing below.  Hope to see you at the studio tour!

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