I painted this as one of my 'memory pieces' after Sam died. I do this for each of my companion animals - at least one painting for each year they were in my life and I in theirs. The ones done for Sam have the upper edge painted a bright orange. Orange was the color of Sam's collar and lead.
Why I named this painting "HOME" -
The inside of my four walls after Sam was gone felt very different. It no longer felt like my home. It felt strange as if even I didn't belong there. Why was I feeling this way? Sam had been a major part of my life it's true. Adopting a dog that at once is ferocious and needs a LOT of work to rectify any damage done during that first year of his life -- the abuse -- required substantial effort on my part. I didn't recognize how much that investment of time and effort impacted me -- until Sam was gone. I taught Sam a lot and he became 'My Best Dog Ever!' (I know I say that A LOT, but every time I say it about any of my boys and girls, it is true!)
But Sam also taught me a lot. Sometimes you are hurt, deeply. Bad things happen to you. Maybe as a result of it, you pull back. You pull away, in order to avoid the pain again. You go into a corner. You hide. And when you sense the potential for pain your immediate reaction is to withdraw. You can disappear entirely - for years even! And the true dog that you are is never seen by 99.999% of those around you. But it's still there. Like a bone you don't want anyone else to find, it's buried deeply - it is inside of you. We may all be Sam.
Working with Sam, not giving up on him - even when it was most difficult- even when it created problems for me - problems I would have preferred not to have had to deal with - taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. I began to closely examine my relationships. I recognized that few humans are capable of loving like this and understandably so. I wondered, is loving another person unconditionally when that sort of love is rarely if ever reciprocated - is it even possible or is only a dog capable of such love? (Perhaps that’s why we all love our dogs so! ) But I digress Dear Reader ~
So back to my space -- why did it feel no longer like my home. And then it dawned on me - about the concept of "HOME" ~ It needn't be a physical structure. Wherever I am, whomever I am with, when I feel surrounded by love - THAT is my home.
Provenance:
"Awaken," An All Women's Juried Exhibition sponsored by the San Bernardino Art Association June 2019, National Orange Gallery, California
HOME (In Memory of Sam)
Original _ 2019_ Oil_ Canvas _ 16 in. x 40 in.
ABOUT THIS PAINTING
I painted this as one of my 'memory pieces' after Sam died. I do this for each of my companion animals - at least one painting for each year they were in my life and I in theirs. The ones done for Sam have the upper edge painted a bright orange. Orange was the color of Sam's collar and lead.
Why I named this painting "HOME" -
The inside of my four walls after Sam was gone felt very different. It no longer felt like my home. It felt strange as if even I didn't belong there. Why was I feeling this way? Sam had been a major part of my life it's true. Adopting a dog that at once is ferocious and needs a LOT of work to rectify any damage done during that first year of his life -- the abuse -- required substantial effort on my part. I didn't recognize how much that investment of time and effort impacted me -- until Sam was gone. I taught Sam a lot and he became 'My Best Dog Ever!' (I know I say that A LOT, but every time I say it about any of my boys and girls, it is true!)
But Sam also taught me a lot. Sometimes you are hurt, deeply. Bad things happen to you. Maybe as a result of it, you pull back. You pull away, in order to avoid the pain again. You go into a corner. You hide. And when you sense the potential for pain your immediate reaction is to withdraw. You can disappear entirely - for years even! And the true dog that you are is never seen by 99.999% of those around you. But it's still there. Like a bone you don't want anyone else to find, it's buried deeply - it is inside of you. We may all be Sam.
Working with Sam, not giving up on him - even when it was most difficult- even when it created problems for me - problems I would have preferred not to have had to deal with - taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. I began to closely examine my relationships. I recognized that few humans are capable of loving like this and understandably so. I wondered, is loving another person unconditionally when that sort of love is rarely if ever reciprocated - is it even possible or is only a dog capable of such love? (Perhaps that’s why we all love our dogs so! ) But I digress Dear Reader ~
So back to my space -- why did it feel no longer like my home. And then it dawned on me - about the concept of "HOME" ~ It needn't be a physical structure. Wherever I am, whomever I am with, when I feel surrounded by love - THAT is my home.
Provenance:
"Awaken," An All Women's Juried Exhibition sponsored by the San Bernardino Art Association June 2019, National Orange Gallery, California
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* Archival Prints Available *
* Original ~ Artist's Private Collection *