"Two Step"

Mixed media. 24" X 36" Acrylic paint, pencil, collage, mulberry paper, Origami paper, and India ink on extra heavy professionally stretched heavy canvas.

Say my love, I came to you with best intention
You laid down and give to me just what I'm seeking
Say love, you drive me to distraction
Oh Helena do you believe that we might last a thousand years
Or more if not for this,
our flesh and blood
It ties you and me right up
Tie me down
Celebrate we will
Because life is short but sweet for certain
We climb on two by two
To be sure these days continue
Things we cannot change
Hey, my love, you came to me like wine comes to this mouth
Grown tired of water all the time
You quench my heart and you quench my mind
Celebrate we will
Because life is short but
Sweet for certain
We're climbing two by two
To be sure these days continue
The things we cannot
Celebrate, you and me, climbing two by two, to be sure
these days continue, things we cannot change
Oh, my love I came to you
with best intentions
You laid down and gave to me
Just what I'm seeking
Celebrate we will
Because life is short
But sweet for certain
We're climbing two by two
To be sure these days continue
Things we cannot change...
Things we cannot change


NOTES: As always, I try not to interpret the song but more just point out the elements in the painting since we all may "hear" the lyrics in a different way. First, there are the elements that make up the joy,,,the celebration of our lives: love (the couple embracing in the lower left), dance, and music represented in the dancers in the lower right corner, the trumpet player and various bits of sheet music. Then the things we cannot change: the helicopters symbolic of the desperation (and end?) of the world we live in. My favorite part which is very hard to see in the photo is written in the sky "do you believe that we might last a thousand years". I'll try to adjust the contrast to make it more visible for you to see but it IS subtle. This is the hope that love gives us all. And then we have the ark which is taken from Julius Schiller's map of the constellations from 1627. And finally, for some additional graphic emphasis, the Chinese characters for "celebrate". And what I hope results is a picture of our continuous effort to survive, to live, to celebrate despite the world's influence. Phew! Sorry this got so long!