This is the original design for the four 2 by 8 foot landscapes created for the production.The four panels represent the four symbols of Glasgow; the fish, tree, bell and bird. I painted them to coincide with St. Mungo's feast day, January 13th. It wasn't until they were nearly completed that I began to realize the significant connections which my subconscious must have seen all along. The four images in their sequence represent the transitions of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The symbols correspond to the four elements and manifest the attributes of those elements. This landscape is timeless, and to me represents God's kingdom on earth, where the best endeavors of humanity exist in deference to and in cooperation with all of Creation. Glasgow becomes here a symbol of the spirit that can flourish when life is lived in harmony..


The fish is water, birth, the beginning of the journey of life. From the water of the womb and out into the world, birth is a leap of faith; the water also represents our baptism into the spirit, and of Christ, traditionally represented by the fish.


The tree is fire; in the story the prayers of Holy Kentigern cause the tree branch to miraculously burst into flame. It is the holy fire of inspiration, growth, learning and nourishment, the power that fuels all manifestation. And it is about our roots and branches, flowers, thorns and seeds; the legacy we leave the earth and it's inhabitants, and the gifts we offer to God.


Although there is a small church in the scene, there is no bell; the bell here is concealed within in the church, which is in turn the symbol of God's presence, dwelling within ourselves and others, waiting to be revealed. The element of the bell is the earth, our only home, our mortal clock and calendar, where we dwell as spirits living in earthly bodies, until it's time to leave. For all our power and creativity death inevitably comes, hence the small cemetery in the picture. As water bursting forth from the rocks, the earthly home must ultimately release the spirit . .


The bird is air, our very breath, the vehicle of sweet fragrances, our prayers and songs, praises and laments, and the end of all our earthly burdens. In the realm of the spirit we are transformed and uplifted, in our life on earth, and in the ultimate journey of the soul into heaven.


Retaining the fascinating images and reverence for nature of the earlier Celtic tales, the stories of Kentigern are all about discovering nonviolent solutions, reconciling differences, and restoring and maintaining harmony,always seeking to resonate with the will of God even in a violent world.


Maria      Jan. 2003