The Cyclops

In Greek Mythology, the Cyclopes were one-eyed giants. According to Hesiod, they were divine craftsmen and architects who worked in the forge of Hephaestus, God of fire, as blacksmiths and artisans. Hephaestus and his Cyclopes were famed for fabricating the thunderbolts of Zeus, the Shield of Achilles and Poseidon's trident as well as many other miraculous creations. They were also credited with the making of ancient fortifications and colossal, sublime mythical buildings. This was the origin of the term 'Cyclopean'. In this piece, one of these ancient Titans strolls past a dilapidated, decaying factory. The ephemeral monuments to human endeavour are of no consequence to one of nature's divine creators. Inspiration for this painting also comes from my childhood obsession with the monster movies of special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen, who's movies 'Jason and the Argonauts' and 'Clash of the Titans' were early introductions to the world of Myth and Fantasy. Media: Digital painting.