Keeping it Simple

I completed another painting and feel I am onto something. A few days ago I was thinking about living my life in such a way that my 12 year old self could understand what I was doing and why I was doing it. There is a part of me that thinks of future me, and how present me needs to take care of that future person. But I was also thinking how I should live my life in such a way that it is consistent across everything from family, to friends, to work, and yes, to art. All of those things should consist of the same truth. And that truth, that level of goodness should fully extend to earning the respect of that 12 year old. I was a super hero at 12 skipping trees, getting into brawls, dealing comic books, and raising hell. We put away childish things as adults, but we also set aside that superhero that would try anything, that was unafraid of the world.

This painting represents the superhero vehicle of a child. I could have conjured up the entire world with this thing and now, as an adult, I ask so much. As we chase after the world, we lose who we are. The world is right here.