Nostalgia

So my goal for this year is to paint a series in honour of my mother who passed away two years ago. Death is something that has an impact on someone forever and changes how we view the past as well as the future. That is why for the debut of my series, I've chosen 'Nostalgia' to premier it. Everything in life starts with childhood and everyone has a childhood. Mine was particularly great. I loved every second of my youth and really don't see how my parents could have given me a better childhood at all. My siblings and I are always talking about such and such a time. There's so many memories that we look back on and just have to smile or laugh. However, with my mother no longer being present, there is a sort of sadness that goes along with our rehashing the past. A sort of emptiness that accompanies our memories.

It's so easy to think about those times and wish that just even for a moment to go back and relive it. If for nothing else than to see my mom again and hear her voice. Sometimes, talking about her almost brings her back, I can almost hear her laugh along with us. I can't look back at the past without some kind of longing to go back there. I guess that is why I decided to paint this painting. Because, for as long as I live every childhood memory will have the power to bring again to life my mother even for a short time. It's in the memory of her that I'll be able to have her close to me. Every memory I have is in a sense an honour to her life, the result of the impact that she had on me.

Perhaps I am getting a little too sentimental here. So, let's talk about the painting. The technique I used was wet on wet oil paint on a sheet of canvas paper. It was my first time using canvas paper and I gotta say I've fallen in love with it. Maybe it's because I don't have the fear of popping a hole straight through it, as I would if it were a stretched canvas. Haha, I've never done that, but you know the risk is always there. It took me forever though to get the proportions right. So much erasing and redoing that I thought for sure I'd just have to give up. However, with much perseverance comes satisfaction and soon enough I did get it. Now I'm quite pleased with the result of the painting.

I wanted to have some kind of symbol to show viewers the intent and purpose for the painting and the series. So what better iconic symbol then the poppy, seeing as it is the national symbol of honour and remembrance. My idea of using the white paint over it, was to give it a sort of dreamy atmosphere, I think that it worked. But, I would love to know what you think? I painted the subject in monochrome for the fact that, although we have our memories, they are not to be lived again. Sort of like a kind of death, eh? We can look back into the past but we can never live it again. Perhaps every day we have lived is a death to that day. Okay so, now I'm getting way to philosophical, even for me. I think you get the gist of what I'm trying to say to the viewer of my painting.

Everyone has a different story and my hope is that, when they look at my work they will interpret it through their own eyes. I only paint and you as the viewer are the one to decide what story should go along with what you see. I hope that if you have lost someone you love, you will be able to relate with my work. Is there a time in your past that you wish you could go back to and live, if just for a moment? Remember, that although we can not go back and relive the past, we can in the present relive those memories and give honour to the ones who are no longer with us, by giving them a chance to impact our lives by the past.