Fall Down, Part One

Going into this project, I had a basic idea of what I wanted to accomplish: to depict the downfall of humanity through the lens of a surreal species. And where does every living thing begin? At birth. It was important for the birth of these creatures to feel magical and perfect, as though they had everything they needed to succeed.

Growing up in the Christian church, religion had a significant influence on my artistic vision. The concept of an omnipotent being with unlimited power always struck me as a surreal idea, even as a child. While I no longer identify as religious, I continue to draw inspiration from religious themes in my art. For this piece, I incorporated the Garden of Eden as a key influence—a perfect world where the creatures are given everything they could ever need. However, that perfection doesn’t last long because, like humans, these creatures are inherently selfish, and perfection alone is never enough. Thus, the Manz were born.

I began by sketching out different human-like forms, drawing inspiration from 1940s cartoons. These cartoons often depicted characters that were human-esque but still otherworldly, and I wanted my creatures to evoke the same feeling. The Manz are small, pink beings with button noses and black eyes, dressed as if in footed pajamas. They exude an aura of innocence, yet they are capable of great horror. I like to imagine that aliens might view humans in a similar way.

When creating this piece, I aimed for an ethereal beauty—rolling, yawning mountains awakening with the dawn of a new day. With each new day comes a new beginning, symbolizing the birth of new life. The feminine figure in the lake is the goddess Prosper. She shares the same color as the ground, making it seem as though she was born from the earth itself—nature incarnate. Her name, Prosper, represents abundance, as she gives life to the Manz, creatures with boundless potential. The Manz were made to prosper and to sow positivity into the world, much like humankind was meant to.

Adding to this idea, the Manz are born from bubbles. Prosper uses the lake water in her bubble wand to bring physical matter into existence, infusing each creature with her spirit and intention. One by one, the Manz float into the sky, reminiscent of how certain species of spiders float from their nests to the ground below. The Manz gaze upon their new world with joy and childlike curiosity. Yet, like children who don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions, the first tree is cut down.

The Manz, unaware of their destructive tendencies, think they’re just playing. But their actions have consequences, which are depicted in the foreground. Unbeknownst to the Manz with the box, it has stumbled upon great evil. As the first-born of the Manz, Prosper entrusted this one with wisdom. When it discovered the box, Prosper warned it of the box’s evil intentions and urged it to ignore the promises it whispered. Yet the curiosity and desire of the first-born Manz overtook it. “Why couldn’t I know its secrets?” it wondered. “I am the first-born. Surely I can handle its power and bring the promises it offers to all the Manz.”

By opening the box, the Seven Deadly Sins are unleashed upon the world, and the “original sin” is committed. Disappointed, the goddess Prosper denounces the Manz, declaring that only destruction will come of them and that there is no hope left. The Manz, now armed with their newfound knowledge, rebel against Prosper. They see her as content with maintaining the same old world, while they believe they could accomplish so much more in a new world of their own making. And so, the downfall begins.

With the drawing and narrative completed, it was time to paint! Color scheme is crucial in any artwork, and since this was the first painting in the series—the most innocent and peaceful—I needed the colors to reflect that. I chose a golden dawn for the sky, paired with my favorite colors for the landscape: blue, purple, and pink. I painted the Manz pink to connect them with the flowers and trees, symbolizing their bond to Prosper, who herself embodies nature. Her skin tone reflects the earth beneath her, and the flowers in her hair match the surrounding trees. The water is purple, representing its magical properties and signaling that this world is not of our own. The box is also purple, but a darker shade to give it a more ominous feel.

A fun fact about this painting: the facial reference I used was my ceramics professor from college! I wish I had more time with this piece, as I had planned to cover the ground with more Manz and paint the Seven Deadly Sins emerging from the box. However, this was the first painting in the series, and I had to move on.

Thank you for reading the first of my six-part series, Fall Down! I’m thrilled to share this journey with you, and I hope you’re as excited as I am to see what happens next. Don’t miss out—sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on new content and be the first to know when part two is released!