Painting: Oil on Canvas

Painted: 2000

Size: 13” x 16”

Owner: In storage                                                                                                                                                          

Music Selection: Hair the Musical

When I was in my teens a musical came out called Hair. It was revolutionary in its’ concept. The music was for my generation, and it resonated with me. One day I would be one of those long-haired freaks my father hated. Funny, when I grew hair long, he never said anything. He loved me in my lunacy.

When I was younger, I wanted to grab two hands full of life and ride it like a wild pony. I pushed the limits of what I perceived was my middle-class destiny. Yes… the ride was fun, but I watched my friends die, divorce, live with regret, and some spiral into the abyss of alcohol and drugs. In a time of free love, I discovered that nothing is free. There are consequences for our actions. I also realize now that my generation, the one that thought it was enlightened, was struggling to find itself in the dark like all those before us.

My generation was going to change the world and we only made it worse for our children. When we came into power we were corrupted and grew greedy and eager to go to war to line our pockets. We were far worse than our fathers. Our fathers fought wars to save the world. My generation eagerly jumped into conflicts that were none of our business to free people that didn’t want our help. We meddled in other countries affairs. We created terrorist states that would plague the world. We supported tyrants because it was in our best interests. We called those that were forced to serve baby killers while we watched them bleed and sacrifice on the evening news. We watched our war in black and white. Everyone in my generation needed a cause even if we had to create one that didn’t exist. Sadly, we’ve passed this lunacy onto our children.  

I painted this in profile because it is not good to look into the eyes of the lost souls that is my generation. This was my first attempt to do a profile. Later, I would paint COVID Crazy and A Mostly Peaceful Protest with characters in profile also.