Working on the next stage

If you read my last blog, then you know that one of the (MANY!) projects that I'm working on is a series exploring the five stages of grief. I'm currently working on "Bargaining". This piece reflects my feelings on the pandemic - caught between a rock and a hard place. When I think of bargaining in terms of grief, I think of the choice between two ugly options. Neither option is particularly good...

I have decoupaged newspaper clippings from this summer that highlight some of the issues and unrest that have swept the globe. I have started gluing pieces of foam and layering gesso over the pieces in order to build up a rocky texture. I've wanted to play with texture and different materials for a long time. I'm really focused on telling a story with dimensional elements. The foam is like a foundation - adding gesso on the foam as well as the board itself highlights the difference between the slick and the sharp. I plan to keep adding layers of gesso to build it up even more. Eventually, all of the texture will be a glossy black. The smoother areas will evoke a slimy, oily feel - emphasizing that a "softer" choice isn't always easier.

Shade is kneeling at the bottom pondering her options. The heavy weight of tragedy hangs over her while her means to escape dangles near. However, the line hides painful thorns. After all the back and forth and deal making, the only path is to choose the lesser of two evils: succumb and suffocate under the weight of the world or take a chance and take the painful route to try and escape.