The newest addition to my current flock of paintings.
24"x 30" mostly oil, some molding paste, charcoal, oil pastel
I recently took a trip to Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Really for the soul purpose of seeing the Green Bay Packers play football and visit their legendary stadium. I enjoyed visiting a part of the country I had never been to, a little time off from child-care, and laughter with old friends.
But I couldn't help but notice as we were hanging around the parking lot a man was walking about with a microphone and a speaker attached to his back. He held a sign and preached into the microphone as he passed different revelers. I lived in New York City for a bit so this sight was pretty tame in comparison, but what caught my attention was the wide eyed boy walking beside him following his father (I assume) about, his lips turned down in a solemn expression as his father manically spoke into the microphone. At one point, as his father became engaged in a conversation with one of the lot dwellers, the boy began to watch as people were dancing, throwing a football, drinking. He at one point cracked a smile.
I still think about that boy. I think about what his life will be. How from such a young age the choice is not his but what his parents choose for him. But maybe he just won't mind, maybe he just will never know any differently and be perfectly fine with his life. That's what I tell myself. I look at my own boys and find a very strong conviction to try and let them discover and make these choices on there own, one way or the other...or the other!
I know that it's nearly impossible not to contradict yourself when making a statement like this. I can say that my sons have no idea at this point what is going on in the images. Even I don't know sometimes! They see figures and colors, moods, and occasionally my older son does ask but usually it's just a remark on the color (telling me to add purple or pink).
My snowball keeps growing.
24"x 30" mostly oil, some molding paste, charcoal, oil pastel
I recently took a trip to Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Really for the soul purpose of seeing the Green Bay Packers play football and visit their legendary stadium. I enjoyed visiting a part of the country I had never been to, a little time off from child-care, and laughter with old friends.
But I couldn't help but notice as we were hanging around the parking lot a man was walking about with a microphone and a speaker attached to his back. He held a sign and preached into the microphone as he passed different revelers. I lived in New York City for a bit so this sight was pretty tame in comparison, but what caught my attention was the wide eyed boy walking beside him following his father (I assume) about, his lips turned down in a solemn expression as his father manically spoke into the microphone. At one point, as his father became engaged in a conversation with one of the lot dwellers, the boy began to watch as people were dancing, throwing a football, drinking. He at one point cracked a smile.
I still think about that boy. I think about what his life will be. How from such a young age the choice is not his but what his parents choose for him. But maybe he just won't mind, maybe he just will never know any differently and be perfectly fine with his life. That's what I tell myself. I look at my own boys and find a very strong conviction to try and let them discover and make these choices on there own, one way or the other...or the other!
I know that it's nearly impossible not to contradict yourself when making a statement like this. I can say that my sons have no idea at this point what is going on in the images. Even I don't know sometimes! They see figures and colors, moods, and occasionally my older son does ask but usually it's just a remark on the color (telling me to add purple or pink).
Our days are filled with child-friendly topics such as the alphabet, worms and mud. My adult topics and emotions are in the paintings, another great reason to paint! I feel it as such an important escapism for me and I'm able to detach into two separate worlds. One is a world for family which in a lot of ways is serious business, and the other is for painting which is far too serious for everyone!
A post to come on my conflicts on loving tradition, celebrating holidays and all that jazz soon. Plus a bonus story on a romanticized passion I had for Native Americans growing up... all thanks to Daniel Day Lewis. I also have a video of me "finding" this image. I'm thinking about posting.
My snowball keeps growing.
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