24x35 inches. Oil on Canvas, Year 2000, varnished ready to hang painting Framed 
 Precious painting . Art is in Good condition  with  online authenticity certificate signed by me. 
 
The Spiritual Gateway The White Pilgrim, a figurative abstract symbolic painting by artist Rizwana AMundewadi.a symbolic painting with the Tao Symbol Yin and Yang in abstraction.A spiritual figurative abstract oil painting. The spiritual steps towards enlightenment , the symbol of a figure, all bring about a serene feeling in this minimalist artwork. This painting is framed in  and varnished. With black color as prominent background this symbolic spiritual painting is one of the first, my precious, spiritual symbolic painting of year 2000 this painting is framed in acrylic.
Minimalism, symbolism and a spiritual serene aura this painting is done with the basic simple concept of gateway to spiritual freedom, spiritual enlightenment, spiritual bliss. The subjects I painted over and over again were the Figure for getting the lighter white robe, a feeling of delicate light robe yet covering the figure.I am biased towards complete white robes, hence the figure has a light tinted pink robe. I am a self taught artist hence making aura was just not possible, and even today I love my journey of discovering each new technique , each new stroke and each new shade or hue in colour, trust me it gives out of this world feelings! The Window was another tricky part as I wanted it to glow. In year 2000, without any connections with artists or art world or art, this was difficult as each time I would paint the window it would turn dull and light gray. I find it strange that I have made a symbolic ladder, abstract ladder, and the colours of chakras are different. Not the traditional colors of chakras that we read in Reiki. Since then...there has been immense reading, knowledge and making art.With a special Yin Yang Symbol of harmony , hardly had I seen or researched on this symbol at that time, innocently colored symbol, with a figurative glimpse of a female figure, and the strong chakra(male) figure, blue my favorite color , the powerful glowing core star, the ultimate to an healthy and enlightened soul.The ultimate energy that you can reach that is visible to the outside world and deep within is the core star glowing. There were daily visualizations and Reiki exercises and meditations for aactivating the core star. There is the beginning of going towards the light. An inclination, the pink tree of love, on the same pathway...the time was of painting alone, solitude and inner chaos. Dreams, ambitions, were hardly there and never was the thought that things could come true with your thoughts and art. I cherish those memories and those artworks, cubism, as they were simply without any motive or planning, they are directly from my heart and soul, that which I wished for has come about.... Which is what I do even today, follow my heart, as however much I plan or people tell me to make , I find it difficult to follow anyone. Symbolism in everyday, symbolism, in objects, symbolism in art fascinates me. After doing Reiki masters Degree, third level, the Pandora's box opened!!! little did I know where this journey would take me...With the whitest white, laying the white oils over and over, used the window still glows even after so many years. The figure, the pilgrim, my thoughts began to question me within. Why white for spiritualityy rituals are spirituality? is a ritualistic person also spiritual? why do people connect white with spirituality, I do not love total white clothes or environment, as it leave blankness, emptiness, and is also a mourning symbol in many cultures as white robes are worn by widows. No ...No... No...hence after this emerged The Red Pilgrim.Red was the colour of feminine, it symbolized fertility, marital status, red bindu, in Hinduism, I never wore red and there was absolutely no red in our environment. We loved quiet colours in our home and our life in those times. Even my old oil paintings were more towards grey tones. I did not know about monks or Buddhism or Tibetan rituals or symbols!Then after a few years as I read Robin Sharma's The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari , things began to make sense, concepts began to give clarity. The Red Pilgrim and the journey all the pieces of the puzzle, began to fall into place. But trust me, you cannot imitate, copy of follow someone, thoughts do influence me but I find it really difficult to make art according to some instructions, it is always going with the flow.I know this has led me with difficult situations over the years with art collectors who are willing to pay large sums...find it difficult to paint the same artworks, I find it difficult to make the exact same shade of colour, I find it difficult to make the same subject again, I find it difficult to make a copy of my own artwork,I find it difficult to repeat the same, seventeen years with making original one of a kind art. The obsession continues with making small artworks. So a few in between come up in large sizes are done after thousands of small ones.There is a lot of hidden symbolism in this old figurative abstract painting. Quite a conversation piece and loads of positive vibes. open to different interpretations.From the thousands of paintings, hundreds of collections, this one still is the best of old paintings, and the energy with its simplicity is very deep and draws one into its own world. Each subject placed here will bring up new emotions, thoughts, memories, on the first glance. Then the second process begins of understanding the process why the artist painted this, and then trying to make connections with the subjects and objects and colours. The folds of the robe, the layers of paints , the stark simplicity and the strong symbolism! The Spiritual Gateway the White Pilgrim!The painting has never been displayed in any art exhibition or art gallery . It is displayed online on  here on my personal website only. No prints have been sold by me of this artwork.precious old painting, very close to my heart as they reflect my journey, my journey within!Have a Great Day from Rizwana!