Redtree Times

Galvanic Memory (2002)– At Principle Gallery

Under all speech that is good for anything there lies a silence that is better. Silence is deep as Eternity; speech is shallow as Time.

–Thomas Carlyle, essay Sir Walter Scott (1838)

This painting, Galvanic Memory, is as its title infers is primarily concerned with those memories that burn themselves deep into our psyches. But for me, it also represents being on the cusp of eternity, when all that is ahead is the Silence and all that remains of the past are those memories that linger in that moment.

That is represented here for me by the door serving as the portal to that eternity shown in the glow of the distant horizon. The Red Chair at that moment is inward looking, still living in those memories.

Looking at it, I wonder if we all get this moment. Do we get that frozen instance right before death to focus on the what was before entering the what will always be?

I mention this now because I was shocked and saddened to hear that singer/ songwriter Glen Hansard had died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin at the age of 56. He was and is one of my favorite musicians, one whose songs and performances have been shared here a number of times over the years.

It sounds funny to say since he had won Oscars and Tony Awards for his work for Once, the highly acclaimed movie–later turned into a Broadway show– in which he both starred, wrote and performed his songs but I always thought he was vastly underappreciated. I don’t believe he ever wrote a bad song. By that, I mean every song of his was very personal, reaching out to the listener in an intimate manner. Like a friend whispering you a secret or an observation he wanted only you to hear.

Not the sort of songs that become anthems.

Many of his songs began much like that whisper but often grew and crescendoed to an emotional climax. One of the things I admired about his performances was that he was all in every time, never backing off the emotion contained in the song. I think this came from the years spent busking on the streets of Dublin where you learned that the way you connected with people just passing by you was to not be afraid to bare your soul completely. To give your all every time whether it was in a crowded arena or a bustling street corner.

There are plenty of videos out there of him busking in recent years in different cities around the world. It was not for the money or fame for him and artists like him. It was for the sake of the music and the connection it provided. To give a gift to those from whom he had received so much in the past.

A rare thing these days.

Here’s an example of his ability to fill a space with his silences and emotions. This is Paying My Way from a live solo session in a private garden in Cologne Germany from 2015. The song felt right this morning. He paid his way. Rest in peace, Glen. Hope you had that moment of reflection before you headed out that door.

You should be gittin’ along now. Out the door. No, not that door, just my door…