Forsaken
America is celebrating its 250th birthday. So, it's a good time to exhibit Forsaken, a 4' x 5' acrylic on canvas I painted over the last month.
While painting, I understood more deeply that a caring, superior presence pervades every area of our life. It works through us to bring love, inspiration, enlightenment, and goads us into acting on behalf of the greatest good—if we allow it.
I had no idea what would emerge when I picked up the paint brush after 15 years. There was no plan, no sketch, no intention, just the hope of enjoying the process and creating some balance in my life again. That, it did. I'm grateful.
Images: full painting and 3 details
Homeless Valley
Stunning painting! There's so much to unpack here but when I look at the face, I feel her pain. I wonder if you could share a little more about it.
Slipstream
You've certainly captured the beating our Lady Liberty has taken over the past year and a half. I especially appreciate the small details—our tattered flag and the dimming of our stars. Also, the language captured the pain and sorrow so many of us feel. The angels did give me some hope that healing and restoration are possible.
Your piece is very bold and should definitely be exhibited.
Present Valley
Starting with wow! Your talent is incredible. After 15 years of not painting. You just showed up in front of the canvas with paint and paintbrush. You are a living example in the Youtropolis community of what presence and trust look like. Thank you for sharing her.
Forsaken is stunning in its depiction of what is probably spinning around in the minds of many people. I needed some time to take her in.
Capturing the pain, despair, suffering, the grief of the world perhaps. Hands with palms up gesturing a surrender or a plea for help I'm not sure.
There was something comforting about angels being in the background hopefully bringing information about how to tend to all this pain and support the greater good.
I was glad to read painting her brought balance back to your life. Like Homeless Valley, if there is more to share about her I would love to read about it.
Well Street
Having seen it in person, I took significant time to absorb the messaging and accompanying emotions.
In my eyes, what looks like a blow to Lady Liberty's head represents the injustices and amoral behaviors being commited in perpetuity. Hopefully, the nearby angels are already at work to bring healing.
Wilsons Grave
I'm a bit late to this party, but I was struck by this painting and felt the heartbrokenness in Lady Liberty's expression. To be honest, it's eerie but beautiful at the same time. I can also see a wounded soldier seated... left leg missing, maybe stuck in a wheelchair, immobile, covered in a flag dripping in blood, wondering if the sacrifice was worth it. Maybe the angels are coming in for a rescue. Sure hope so... but I'd like to know more about it, too, if there's more to share.
Evangel
Thank you all for your supportive comments, curiosity, and amazing analysis. All of you get it! Everything you said about the details you noticed is spot on.
It's often the case that insightful art critics will find meaning in a painting and see things the artist never saw or consciously intended. I will say that this piece emerged brush stroke by brush stroke and even once it was done, I did not notice all the symbolism until I scrutinized it or someone suggested a meaning that had not occurred to me.
This is definitely a personification of the Statue of Liberty, or Lady Liberty as Slipstream said, lamenting the unravelling of democracy. The rays of her crown are absent and her head had been mortally wounded, as Well Street noticed.
The flag represents democracy, it is soaked in blood, embattled and wounded in our own suicide. Lady Liberty's hands say a lot. They are holding the unraveled threads of the flag and her palms are also wounded, as if crucified. Although both hands are up in a plea for help as Present Valley suggested, her right hand is higher than the left, a symbol that the political right is ascendant. Someone who saw the painting in person said the hands are symbolic of the scales of justice. I hadn't thought about that but it made a lot of sense. A democracy in peril, its system of justice now in the throes of fighting for survival.
What jarred me after I completed the painting was noticing how the flag laying across her lap brought to mind the Pieta, Michelangelo's sculpture that lives in Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It's a life-size sculpture of Jesus laying dead in Mother Mary's lap. For me, it made me realize that, perhaps, the liberties we enjoy are on their death bed, but maybe we're just on our last leg, or as Wilson's Grave suggested, we're wounded like a soldier and stuck in a wheelchair until we fully heal ourselves from this tragic event.
The angels are, indeed, our salvation because they inspire wisdom, truth, and love, all of which have the power to bring us back to our senses where we can reconnect with each other, seize back the truth, and remember that we were never meant to be ruled by a religion, a king, or anything other than the rule of law.
Charlieville
Amazing…museum worthy! When talent collides with wisdom, intelligence and spiritual guidance this is what happens. Thought provoking and sadly, a true statement of Lady Liberty’s present condition. Amazing how a few strokes of your paintbrush can evoke such emotion in her eyes. Proud to be your cousin❤️
Evangel
I am speechless. Your words are so kind coming from the true artist you've always been. I, of course, am proud to be your cousin, too.❤️
Music City
Wow! What a beautiful painting and what amazing talent. This piece should definitely be on display. Thank you for sharing.
Evangel
Thank you so very much! I am going to continue to paint after getting such positive feedback from everyone. I'm also taking a lesson from you, knowing you never shared your singing voice until now, yet it never deterred you from continuing to create wonderful music. So I will do the same, and if I ever exhibit in a real gallery, it will just be the cherry on top.
Music City
I'm so happy that you will continue to share your talent! Again, it's so beautiful and I
can't wait to see what's next!
Evangel
Thank you. That's uplifting!