“Phoenix Rising” Mural

"Phoenix Rising" is based on a dream I had in 2019. The dream image was of a newly hatched firebird, with a celestial snake encircled around it. It seemed to be a nurturing and protective gesture, and I became very curious about the symbology of these two entities and the story they shared. At the time I researched myths, legends and prophecies connecting Snake and Phoenix but did not find anything. I did, however, come across snake and eagle together, as well as dragon and phoenix. Neither of these depictions matched the story I felt was there. The dream and the inspiration from it was compelling enough for me to leave my then job, and create a body of work exploring these two archetypes. In six weeks I illustrated a zine, made an art show, and wrote my own myth. Six years later, I have chosen to revisit this image of the Cosmic Firebird and Celestial Snake in a mural.