The Shael Ovalis Ceiling Cycle

The Shael Ovalis Ceiling Cycle consists of three large paintings on the ceilings of two rooms, plus the ceiling and walls of the entry vault in a private Denton, Texas home. These oil paintings are applied over gesso layers directly on the ceilings and walls, integrating with the home's architecture.

The works display Randall M. Good’s unique Neo-Mannerist style mixed with Art Nouveau. They show his elegant, stylized figures in striking poses, surrounded by flowing drapery, gold leaf, and symbolic designs. Every detail, from color to layout, enhances the many angles of the large pieces and complements the art throughout the three spaces and the entire house.

The paintings use stories and symbols to show how love, especially family love, grows stronger and stays steady over time. They highlight the passing of days, months, and seasons, connecting these moments to lasting relationships. The figures in the paintings come from Good’s ongoing The Shael Ovalis Project, which explores humanity’s role in a vast universe of endless time and space.

The first ceiling painting, The Elevation of the Moon by the Acolytes of the Goddess Didamel, shows the passing of time through moon phases and the changing seasons. Like the moon’s cycles and the yearly seasons, family history moves in a rhythmic flow. The family motto, ESSE QUAM VIDERE, fits this message well.

In the dining room, The Dance of the Sun and Moon with the Sun God Arc-a-Halaus and the Moon Goddess Didamel, shows one day’s cycle and highlights the importance of appreciating love, joy, peace, and harmony each day brings.

The vault’s painting, The Constancy of Time with Ebethius the Watcher and Johannen of the Long Quill, reflects on time’s depth. Ebethius records history, while Johannen writes the future. This shows how loving relationships build a strong past and support us as we face an unknown but exciting future.