(SOLD) Vanitas

24"x20" Acrylic on Canvas,

Vanitas refers to a still-life painting. Usually with flowers or a skull. These pieces are essential because they are both life and death. The head, a symbol I adore and constantly use in this body of work, is both thoughts and death. I find it ironic because the duality of symbolism directly reflects my views on my mental illness.
On the one hand, I am full of thoughts that move constantly. Yet, at the same time, death is always a lingering subject: a terrible recurring idea that does not seem dark to me. In this body of work, I am exploring these thoughts and their many faces; this piece is no different.

The spiders - A grass spider, harmless and quick. These wanderers build funnels in the grass, riding the micro-ecosystem of pests. The Crab Spider is a mobile hunter that does not spin a web. It is devouring a swallowtail butterfly to reference cruelty but balance. The pyramid mocks the hierarchy imposed by human ideology. But it’s a failed idea because our thoughts and sentiments are nothing in death. We’re just sustenance while undergrowth continues. The Blue Racer cranes out from behind this delusional space, anticipating prey. Surrounding and supporting these demure creatures, echinacea and Queen Anne’s lace surround fray with beauty. Both plants have healing properties not fully appreciated. In this piece, they are the focal point. All this is happening and relevant, while my mind focused on one thing: the end of my selfish pain. Separate from traditional vanitas: the fauna is continuous, while, what am I? What legacy will I leave? It seems small in comparison.