2010 #20

Awakening (melancholy ghost)...30x40 acyrlic on canvas and paper...23 Oct 2010

Dry Bones...group exhibit...739 Flash Space...Lawrence, KS

Dry Bones...group exhibit...739 Flash Space...Lawrence, KS

This is the piece that I currently have on display as part of the Dry Bones exhibit – a group memento mori show about mortality with a focus on regeneration.

With the theme of Dry Bones and a focus on memento mori (which means, remember your mortality), I had a general idea of what I wanted this piece to convey.  But working on it over the last few weeks, the piece as spoken to me in different ways and each are plausible explanations.  So I won’t try to explain the meaning other than I tried to do a tradition memento mori painting.

I have subtitled this piece Melancholy Ghost…here is why.  Over the past few months, I have been listening quite a bit to the Choir’s new album, Burning Like the Midnight Sun.  After I had finished the painting, I happened to be listening to the song off that album called That Melancholy Ghost and for the first time I saw the lyrics in a new light due to my work on this painting.  Here are a few lines:

Just

Yesterday

Your laughter filled the room

Filled the room

Life

Is known to play

Unfunny tricks on you

The stars

Danced into your dreams

Then vanished

Before your eyes

Sad child

Go on cry

That melancholy ghost is haunting your heart

Sad child

Go on cry

That melancholy ghost

Is haunting your young heart