Power of One

Darkening skies approach this sacred space with sinister intent.  All but one are resigned to the immanent changes being brought to bear from above.  Roots brace while blinding light ignores all that stands in its way, as it seeks common ground.  Glowing embers give witness to the might of the flame, but those who know the truth see the scars and move forward with renewed purpose and determination. They are innately aware of the  power of one.

One of the fascinating components of this sculpture is the stone itself.  It came from below a historic house in Toronto, or York as it was called at that time. The house was built in 1798, and it was constructed with the timbers from the trading fort which was just down the street. The trading fort had stood for almost 100 years. The house was the stage coach inn for the boats that would dock in the back of the property, and you can still see the ties that were set down in the river as a landing dock. The area around the house was called “the valley”. The valley was a popular meeting place for certain native tribes to gather together and celebrate important events.  The house itself has been kept pretty much historically accurate except for some modern conveniences.  It is believed that these rocks were formed long before the house was there, and that they are the result of lightning striking the ground. When they are broken open, they reveal several layers of sandy type rock.  In digging out the current basement, several more of these rocks were found in the earth.  The land around and under the house is so sandy that when the basement of the house was excavated, the house looked like it was on a beach from all the sand that surrounded it. Of course when extreme heat is applied to sand, as in this case with the lightning strike, the result is glass.  The wonderful glazing on the stone is a result of this natural occurrence.  I have enjoyed working with such a spiritual and mysterious material in creating Power of One.