One World, 2023

Artist notes: I know this is a difficult painting to view no matter which way it is presented. At the same time, I trust you with it. I trust your ability to live with tenderness in a harsh world. We have the ability to experience beauty without turning away from the bone-chilling darkness of human behaviour. We are this strong and this capable. For if we are afraid to look, we cannot expect the world to become a better place. This painting was inspired from the coverage of war crimes by photo journalists in Ukraine from the safety of my Mayne Island BC, Canada shores over the past year since March 2022.

During early April 2022, war photographers began releasing images of Bucha Ukraine following Russia's retreat. The inhumane atrocities were nightmarishly haunting. I was overwhelmed by the graphic realty of sickly human behaviour. I went from our calm, warm, cozy home to the shores of the Salish Sea on the southwest coast of Canada where Mount Baker loomed across the waters in the United States. What if our neighbouring country were to attack us in this way? What would we do? These lands too have witnessed atrocities by European settlers towards Indigenous communities. There is no place of virtue for how despicable humans can be to one another. The miracle might be that we have even moments of peace, compassion and caring at all. Yet, the seascape from my island home is tranquil and takes the edge off of my inner turmoil.

I kept thinking about how these were someone's sons, mothers, daughters, fathers, uncles, nieces or nephews. I kept thinking about that there were mothers and fathers to those who committed these war crimes. I kept thinking about the state of mind of those who committed these atrocities. How could this happen?

I didn't want to paint this painting. I mean what was the point? Not even I would want to have it out to view when it was done. But I kept thinking about it and I spent equal effort pushing the idea away. I painted other paintings. I resisted painting this painting for almost a year. Then I gave in. I knew, even though it was a gruesome subject, I was going to paint it on a large 36 x 40 inch canvas.

This is probably the most emotionally challenging painting I have ever worked on. However, I kept going and fought my horror and grief while painting one brushstroke after another until the burnt figures appeared. To honour these and all individuals who have lost their lives under such brutal acts by fellow human beings, I did my best to paint them as compassionately and beautifully as I could.