Painting: Oil on Canvas.

Painted: 1998

Size: 20” X 16”

Owner: In Storage

Music Selection: “Red Rain” Peter Gabriel

This was an experimental work. It is mostly abstract. This is a painting about how the death of a child or family member effects those that knew him or her. The loss can be accidental, suicidal, or criminal. The death of an innocent adult or child has a destructive effect on more than the one slain. The rain falls on the family and friends of the victim and there is little or no protection to shelter from the pain. Families fall apart. Sometimes the rain or tears never stop falling. The lucky ones find refuge from the deluge others get swept away by the flood.

The background is a chaotic blending of color, mostly red with a solid unwavering orange sun. The rain is disproportionately large in the scene, so the viewer might feel its weight as it falls on its’ victims. The umbrellas are a small source of refuge from the pounding deluge. This painting was worked and reworked until it felt right. My critics say it looks like the cat puked all over the canvas after eating some bad fish. I hope my critics never walk through this rain.

I painted this after being inspired by a Peter Gabriel tune called “Red Rain.” It was done in a moment of self-indulgent pity. I was reflecting on the poor parenting of my oldest son. He was struggling as a father in his own right going through divorce. He struggled with being separated from his children. This forced me to think about our close friends who had lost their youngest child years before. As bad as divorce and separation from your children can seem, it pales in comparison to the loss of a child. I cannot not begin to imagine the suffering that they had to endure. To compound things, my mom had just been diagnosed with the return of her cancer, and I could not get my hands around my emotions. It was like the rain was relentlessly pounding all around me. Things in my little world were spiraling out of control, and painting this made me feel a little better. Maybe this painting was my little momentary umbrella.