SCARAB NEBULA

Often, nebulae will break up into an hourglass shape with a bright center and two similar shapes extending from that center. Although this painting is of an invented nebula, I imagined that the shape and “colorscape” of this cosmic entity might be reminiscent of a scarab beetle.

Scarab Beetles often are covered in gem-like brilliant colors. Here I have used opposite complimentary colors on a pebble textured surface to emphasize those features. Since the scarab beetle in ancient Egypt represents resurrection and immortality, I would like to assume that this imaginary nebula will never die (or at least will be reborn).