In the foothills of the Alps between France, Germany, and Switzerland there lies an area fertile with creativity, past and present. It is here that archaeologists found Lion Man, a figurine dating back to the Paleolithic era 35,000 to 40,000 years ago. Carved from mammoth bone, it stands about 11 inches high and is the first known cave art
"Searching for my Muse in the Paleolithic Caves of the Alps," Oil on Masonite, 12 X 9," $275.00 USD
to depict a human with animal features. Lion Man is only one small remnant of the flowering of creativity that archaeologists have found in this region. The oldest musical instruments in the world--intricately carved flutes from mammoth bones and swan bones have been found in the same area, a tribute to man's desire to ascend from mundane reality into figurative representation.
Because of my love for archaeology and my life as an artist, it only seemed appropriate to include Lion Man in my self portrait.
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