Symbols of Love and Loss

Love and Loss, Charcoal on Paper, 24"x18"

Symbols of Love and Loss

With all of the emotional and societal chaos around us, it can be hard to find a mentally quiet space to think. I have been making an effort to do just that in my studio, using this time to explore concepts and feelings and how to portray them in my art.

In this drawing, I explore the intersection of love and loss, something that all of us are confronted with sooner or later. Clearly the symbol of love is the rose. Even though it is a cliche, the rose really speaks to me - I love the shapes, the velvet petals, the heavenly scent. My father used to raise roses in his garden outside of Atlanta when I was a child. Mom always stopped to smell rose blossoms wherever she found them. And, in spite of the harsh Vermont winters, I have somehow managed to keep a collection of roses growing in my gardens over the years.

As for loss, many of you will recognize the black border as a symbol of loss. Growing up, the child of immigrants, I can remember my parents receiving thick envelopes with the tell-tale black or gray border (or in later years, sometimes a lilac one) sent via ship mail from the old country. Each envelope contained the news of someone's death - an uncle or aunt, a parent, an old friend. The thickness of the letter foretold family news, a story of someone's passing. And the letter came by ship to purposely delay its arrival until after the funeral - no one wanted my parents to feel obliged to use meager savings to go to a funeral.

I hope all of you are safe and healthy as we navigate the upheavals associated with of this pandemic.