I was looking at this painting above this morning, one that resides with me now here in the studio. It’s from back in 2011 and is called Dissolve. It really spoke to me from the moment I realized it was finished and laid down the brush.
It still does.
It’s a simple piece with complex feelings, one that makes me immensely happy and slightly sad at the same time. It’s contented yet wistful and yearning, something mirrored in the beauty and solidity of the fields in the foreground set against the dissolving colors of the sky.
With it’s duality of feelings, it’s a very human piece, I guess. And that bit of humanness is what struck me this morning. While I have alternated between high and low emotions lately, looking at this painting for a bit seemed to modulate all of these feelings. The lower ebbs are still there but there is a visible counterweight that takes away some of their depth, makes them more tolerable.
This modulating effect might be the most valuable aspect of my work, at least for myself. Without it, everything else that the work provides for me is worthless.
So, this morning I sit with this image in mind and feel… like a human. And, for the most part, that’s a good thing.
Hope you’re feelng human this morning and can find your way, perhaps with a little modulation of your own, to a good day. Here’s a song from one of my favorites, Neko Case, from a 2006 appearance on Conan. Here’s Hold On, Hold On.
Redtree Times 
Thank you! This one makes me happy too!
I find the most compelling element of the painting to be the off-kilter building. It seems to be leaning toward the tree — perhaps a little envious of its strong, straight thrust into the sky.
I had to find just the right version, and this one seems to be the one. Hold on, indeed.
I have to give Jon Bon Jovi great credit. He has been doing extraordinary things with his charity kitchens in NJ, both now and well before this crisis.
I came to you through a magazine article about your art and it remains exciting to see the work and fascinating to read your description of how the work came to be. But, in addition to the art and writing, I enjoy these emails because of the music you connect to the creative process. Always great picks. Often, music I know and appreciate, but sometimes something I haven’t heard before but needed to. If you created an online radio station, I’d be listening. Thanks for all of it.
Hi, Michael– Thanks so much for the really kind words. So glad you like the music I choose. One of my favorite things to do is crawl down rabbit holes on YouTube or a couple of other sites to find either songs from my own past that may have slipped my memory or songs and musicians that are completely off my radar. It’s amazing the things you can find! I am constantly surprised at how many people, when I am at my shows or talks, comment to me about the music from the blog. That’s almost as gratifying as getting a compliment on my work! Again, many thanks, Michael. Hope you’re well and staying safe. All my best–gary