"Old Bones, New Season"

“Old Bones, New Season” is a reflection of the last ten years of my life, the death of the concept of the culturally projected self, and letting go of expectations of interconnectedness.
The bones and antlers are not who I am now, but they hold the essence of where I used to be, and tell the foundation of the creature that used to move around them, held together by sinew projected expectation. The spine is not mine but it is broken at the same location on my own body, and references internal support systems. The knife was essential, and references the consumption and killing of the old systems. The distinction is important to me in this particular painting, where as usually I prefer more ambiguous multilayered read. The feet are mud stained, and they speak of action and groundedness. The expression on the face is satisfied, almost inviting, and slightly challenging. Manet’s “Olympia” is a slight challenge in her gaze. The mushrooms having grown out of decay, are in the midst of spring, rich from nutrients and new growth.