Migration and Extremes

Migration – 12″ x 16″ x 1″ – acrylic/mixed media on wood
The whole time I was working on this painting, I kept hearing Neil Young’s song, Birds in my head. When I listened to it so many years ago, it made me think of the heartache that comes with the loss of a lover, but now it makes me think of migrating birds and fall as a season of loss. Perhaps it’s because as the geese begin to form their squadrons, readying themselves for their journey, I know that warm afternoons such as today’s will also soon be gone. Here in New England, Autumn is the rickety rope bridge between the extremes of summer and winter, and crossing it is always so bittersweet.

This painting, which will be included in a show at the IO Gallery at the end of November, is a larger version of a journal page I did a while ago. I am finding that creating small studies (5.5″ x 8″) in my journal is such a great way to generate ideas for larger paintings.

Birds

Lover,
there will be another one
Who’ll hover
over you beneath the sun
Tomorrow
see the things
that never come
Today

When you see me
Fly away without you
Shadow on the things you know
Feathers fall around you
And show you the way to go
It’s over, it’s over.

Nestled
in your wings my little one
This special
morning brings another sun
Tomorrow
see the things
that never come
Today

When you see me
Fly away without you
Shadow on the things you know
Feathers fall around you
And show you the way to go
It’s over, it’s over.

– Neil Young (1945 – )