Housefire

   “Housefire” is an oil painting on canvas that is modified with wax to enhance the values and textural effects of the medium. This piece is inspired by recent events in the United States and represents an artist’s perspective on tensions between identity, race, and history within the current cultural and political climate. The landscape and building in this work are representations of a Civil War battlefield near Mechanicsville, Virginia, with several symbols in the work to help establish a variety of themes. 

   It is my hope that the viewers will take the time to form their own interpretations and ideas about the symbolism in “Housefire,” but I will share some insight into my artistic process.  Much of my work has been inspired by Southern Gothic literature, and I often use silhouettes of wolves to represent the ideas of time, loss, humanity, and movement. The wolf is a native species eradicated in the southern United States by humans.  The wolves symbolize loyalty and social structure through their reliance on pack behavior. Wolves have attained a status in our society that ranges from the mythical, to the kitschy, in our visual lexicon. I have found using them in my work can deliver something recognizable while referencing elements of the Southern Gothic literature I’ve explored while living in South Carolina. The inclusion of the wolf in “Housefire” represents humans pressed by the forces of history while being witness to the impact of events and headlines in the present.

The wolves are cropped on the edges of the picture’s plane to represent a passage of time. The cropping indicates wolves moving into an unknown future. The painting of a historical battlefield brings with it a host of ideas about violence, ideologies, politics, and American history; much of which continue to influence our country today. It is a commentary on our continual issues of civil rights, economic stability, immigration reform, and a growing polarization between states, influencers, and political parties.