Heart

Oil on canvas
92 x 60 cm (about 3.5 by 2.3 feet)

This is a canvas I just cannot leave alone. I've finished versions of it several times. I signed and posted it to work of the week in May 14-20, 2009, as "Wave #2" and also in December 7-13, 2008 as "Wave." It started life as a different composition that I painted over and can be seen online as work of the week in October 19-25, 2008 titled "Fire."

"Fire" was originally about the loss of my volunteer for youth little brother in a house fire. Maybe the evolution of "Fire" into something that resembles a scarred but vibrant heart is meaningful, going through a water phase metamorphosis. It certainly was not a conscious decision on my part. And in fact, this canvas did not evolve into a heart until the very last minute. A delivery person from the art supply store stepped on the second to last version of the finished painting, and I so I had to rework it. It sort of accidentally transformed into a heart shape. But now, I'm really and truly done with this canvas and promise never to ever, ever rework it again. I wish that I had all the prior versions of this canvas back because I think it would make a fabulous series. This painting makes me profoundly sad, but also reminds me of why and what it is to be alive. I suppose we all carry around heartache and joy accumulated from a lifetime of experience.

Details of "Heart" are posted below.