None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
–Henry David Thoreau
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This is a new painting that measures 12″ by 6″ on panel and is part of my show at the West End Gallery that opens in about two weeks, on July 22.
I call it The Old Man.
For me it symbolizes someone in their final years and days of life who has lost enthusiasm for this world, who sees it as a place that has changed beyond all recognition or comprehension. It is no longer their world, which feels like an alien landscape in which they are stranded.
They feel detached from the lifeblood of the now and of the future, clinging to what remains of the past in their memories and connections, both which grow smaller and smaller with the passing of time. After a time, even pulling from that field of memory brings no joy.
It becomes a painful waiting game beneath an unblinking sun.
That sounds sad, I know. But there is something positive in it as well. I see this as a cautionary piece, one that warns against disengaging from the world even as it changes from that which we have known and accepted. The world keeps on moving and we must remain enthusiastic and find new joy in this ever changing world.
That’s my take on this painting, most likely formed from some personal observations. Perhaps you will see something other than this when you look at this image, something that jibes with your view of the world.
Redtree Times 