New Painting: A Distant Storm

"A Distant Storm", 10x10 mixed media on Wood Panel. Available. 

I've been watching the news out of the US. I try not to overindulge, but it's like a train wreck in the making and almost impossible not to look.

This week was particularly bad. Kavanaugh. Wow. Let me sum it up... Reasonable sounding woman claims sexual assault by a high powered man, man gets very angry proclaiming a conspiracy to destroy him, other angry men dismiss her, and powerful man becomes more powerful.  Not the first time it's happened.

I have, however, noticed a change in how everyone is reacting this time around. Women are pissed. Really and truly furious. I have quite a few female American friends, and it seems to be all they can talk about. I spot the occasional dissenting opinion in the comment section (usually from a man, I have noticed) but for the most part everyone agrees that this situation is intolerable and must change (I understand I am seeing these things from my Social media echo chamber. If my friends were not mostly artists and somewhat left-leaning, its possible my take on what's happening could be quite different. But I do follow the news from reputable sources, so I think I have a pretty good idea).

So... I read about all this and listen to the radio newscasts and follow along. Then when I get into my studio, I paint a stormy sky. I know everything I experience outside the studio effects what I do when I'm in there. I can't help it, I am a whole person and I cannot separate one thing from another.

This painting reminds me of a time, years ago, when my family and I were out on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, for the annual music festival. The stage faced inland, and we were seated on the ground, facing out to sea. We watched a storm come in as we sat there in the sun... dark clouds gathered, there was lightening, torrential rain... but it was all "out there". It got closer and closer. At one point I leaned over to my husband and said, "I think we should go... that looks pretty nasty". It was rolling in fast. As we were packing up most other people suddenly had the same idea, and it was a rush to get indoors before it got to us. We ran back to the house we were staying at, and hit the driveway just as the clouds opened and the deluge started.

The situation in the US reminds me of this same storm. The anger is palpable... it's gathering steam. At some point it's going to reach a boiling point and you better run like hell if you hope to escape the wrath. I don't know what will be the tipping point, but I can see it coming. Good luck, my friends. Something tells me you are going to need it.