Steven Kenny – The Glade (Abraxsis) Stephen Kenny

The composition presents a figure seemingly emerging from and integrated with a dense woodland environment. A womans face is centrally positioned, her gaze directed towards the viewer with a directness that establishes immediate connection. Her features are rendered with a degree of realism, yet possess an ethereal quality accentuated by the surrounding natural elements.
Here we see the woman’s skin subtly blending into the moss and lichen covering the rocks and tree roots around her. This visual merging suggests a symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature, blurring the boundaries between individual identity and the collective ecosystem. The artist has skillfully employed a palette dominated by greens, browns, and muted yellows to reinforce this sense of organic unity.
The surrounding forest is depicted with meticulous detail; the foliage appears lush and vibrant, while the light filtering through the canopy creates an atmosphere of both mystery and tranquility. A network of gnarled tree roots forms a natural archway above the figure, framing her presence within the glade. The placement of mushrooms and other small flora at the base of the composition adds to the sense of a hidden, almost sacred space.
The subtexts embedded in this work appear to explore themes of nature worship, feminine power, and the interconnectedness of all living things. The woman’s direct gaze could be interpreted as an invitation to contemplate humanitys place within the natural world, or perhaps a silent challenge to acknowledge our responsibility towards its preservation. The overall impression is one of reverence for the wild, suggesting a return to primordial origins and a re-evaluation of human existence in relation to the environment.