Family, Love, Life

Several years ago I did a painting that looked like this:

Family, Love, Life   24" x 36"

I labored over this autobiographical piece depicting my days as a mom juggling my nest, my love, and my busy as a bee-ness. That is what the painting meant.

A few weeks ago in my illustrator's critique group we were talking about what different images mean. I was reminded of art history classes, where an academician would go on and on about each detail and what the artist meant. They would tell us how experts had figured out great mysteries by examining each brush stroke. I am not breaking the DaVinci Code or revealing a great secret, but sometimes there is no big secret, no deeper meaning.

When this painting was exhibited at the Orlando Museum of Art's First Thursday event many years ago I heard something so interesting.

Four young women, in their early twenties approached my painting.

They looked at it.

They looked at the tag identifying the materials, the title, the price, and the artist's name.

Then the leader of the group held up her arms pointing at the mom in the painting and said,
 "This represents Jesus and his disciples. See those orange things. They are his followers."

Silence.

Finally her impressed friends responded, "Yes, I see that. You are right."

Hmmm, I guess I didn't see that.

I recounted the story to my husband who responded, "I can see that."

"May you think of Easter each time you see this painting," I say chuckling. For I do not take myself too seriously.  I do, however, take Easter seriously...Love and blessings to all.