Inspiration The Fighting Dragons of Ara is in fact probably one of the best nicknames given to any deep-sky astronomical object. NGC 6188 – to give it its formal designation – is an emission nebula in the constellation Ara about 4,000 lightyears away. It can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere sky. NGC 6188 is an active star-forming region, and newborn stellar giants carve out the incredible shapes seen in the dark cosmic dust, and cause surrounding gas to glow by blasting it with streams of charged particles known as stellar winds. NGC 6188 is about 600 lightyears across, and its nickname is undoubtedly a result of astronomers observing the nebula and seeing two dragons facing off within the twists and curls of the dark dust. BBC Sky at Night

DAVID TOMLIN | FINE ARTIST

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I began my artistic journey when I became inspired to paint an expression of the balance and design I encountered in creation. Moreover, I was intrigued by the seemingly infinite variety of lines, spaces, textures, shapes and vibrant colours I discovered. When I am drawn to a particular subject, I take several photographs, and then return to my studio to transform the scene into an abstracted and transfigured composition. Often I use a mix of natural and created materials, such as modelling paste, gels, silica sand, photo and stencil inserts along with acrylic or oil paint. Together with a love of colour and a passion for design, my paintings evoke a sense of contemplative spirituality, expressing my understanding of the three ‘transcendentals’: BEAUTY, GOODNESS, and TRUTH. Most importantly, I want the viewer to be moved by the textures, colours and shapes they discover in my paintings. As well, the concept of ‘flourishing’ is a recurring theme as I seek to think, feel and create contemporary artwork for a transfigured state of being.