paying heed to Marcus Aurelius, ink on paper, 8"x10", 2013 For around a year now, in my life and reflected in the art I create, the focus has been nature. Nature in the sense of underneath the surface appearance of anything was is at its core? Its essence. More specifically, the focus has revolved around the nature of mind and the nature of reality. What is at the heart of the human experience that is relative to all beings in the most basic sense? And what is it to truly live this experience in the world? The process of this exploration into nature has been pretty straight forward. Research mainly thru past and contemporary practitioners and/or teachers that focused on the same. This includes spiritual teachers of both secular and non-secular religions, philosophers, artists, friends, strangers and so on. The second part is to put the teachings into practice so as to discern what is supportive as to come closer to that realization of the nature of mind. One of the early cornerstones that I feel has been of tremendous resource is Marcus Aurelius. One need only to read his book "Meditations", to see this philosopher king's understanding into the subject. It is timeless in the sense how it is directly relevant in today's age so as to benefit one in this understanding. It is my aim to inspire any person to enter the kingdom of themselves and bear witness to the treasure of their own nature as others such as Aurelius have done for myself. Ultimately, such value is ineffable and can truly only be experienced by the individual. But I will say in my research thus far, that all the gold we ever desire at the truest root of ourselves, underneath it all, is waiting for us no matter how long dormant it remain until we are ready to arrive at it. This drawing is paying heed to a single human among many that drank from that fountain of wisdom that will forever be eternal despite conditions of any age, and his words perhaps being the conduit in leading us to its fountainhead. Thanks Marcus Aurelius. Ur contribution remains forever priceless in this way.