Pandemic Losses – Going Home

Pandemic Losses Going Home 12×16 Oil Painting – by Winifred

I felt compelled to create a painting which reflected some aspect of the pandemic which largely dominates our lives. I chose to focus on the loss of life. The elements of this painting were born in my imagination – scary huh!! I have never painted a story from imagination before. It’s a visual story which you may describe in any way you want. It has to stand on it’s on. I’m discovering more about my mind all the time. I’m pleased. There may be those who are horrified. That’s okay too. I have flowers for you. In the above painting, I am particularly pleased with the movement, design and flow, the color palette and the mood established. Painting this was quite an experience. My objective is not just to do pretty or happy paintings.

Roses Not Fully Open – 11×14 Oil Painting – By Winifred

I make products to mix with my oil paints to give texture to my paintings, when that’s what I want. For this floral painting, I used a mixture I’ve not used before and I like the results. The vase is so luminous. There will be more.

Well my containers are growing well – lots of strawberries, kale – and for the first time cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, parsley, mustard greens, and more – easy stuff. Of course there are lots of flowers also. I hope you’re having a good week, it whatever form it takes. Nothing is like it use to be. My biggest news is I returned my worms to the worm farmer I got them from. She was happy to have them back. Vermicomposting was a great experience. I found myself sad the following day – I missed my red wigglers.

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11 thoughts on “Pandemic Losses – Going Home

  1. Beautiful paintings — both of them. The corona work is very powerful. I love making my own interpretation of the imaginative details of paintings like that. Of course, the school of fish, which I don’t see as sharks — but rather as, perhaps, eternity. And that cloaked figure walking towards the fire-filled window.

    The flower painting — I love that you add to your paints to make texture! And I love the glow on the vase, too.

    Unsettling times, not only for the disruption and death corona has brought about, but b/o Minneapolis — and particularly the event which triggered it. Coincidental that you have fire in your painting.

    Stay well, Winifred.

    Stay well and keep creating beautiful art.

    • Thank you Isabelle. However, I am feeling so blue and angry about the ongoing racism and killing of Black men in this country. I looked at the video this morning of the police knee to neck for nearly 8 minutes – totally intentional to drain the life from him. It pains me deeply.

  2. OMGoodness Winifred- powerful painting !!!
    My dreams have been about flowing water and structures falling in but at the same time nothing is connected. The mind can be amazing!
    Never thought about painting them – I will try.
    Apart from all that I hope you are well and safe. Trevor & I are surviving well. Xx

    • Thank you so much Suzanne. I feel well physically but depressed by the ongoing police killings and other racially motivated killings of black men in this country. I’m so sick of it! You stay well. Winifred

  3. It is a very powerful painting! It depicts both sadness/darkness and the “joy” (not sure that is the right word) and light of being released from the pain.

    As always the roses are beautiful and I love that technique.

  4. Thank you Nancy. I didn’t actually think of ‘joy” but I thought of freedom and it’s pretty much the same thing. I’m sure it’s no surprise that it’s harder emotionally to paint emotional paintings but with all the unfolding events, it’s clear there are more to do. The ongoing outpourings of racism are truly depressing me.

  5. I love your Pandemic painting .. it is spectacular – it made me both cry and smile .. you have captured perfectly how I feel about what is happening .. there are days I *almost* envy those elderly who have died of this virus .. not because I want to be dead but I get very .. exhausted .. by the daily on-going pains of my aging and chronic illness

    .. I do not see fish or sharks .. I see souls still carrying the outward human form floating free of the human pain conditions towards whatever is next .. yet it makes me cry for them to miss out on all those things they had yet to do in their lives and for their family & friends suffering at losing them far too soon when so many deaths might have been avoided.

    If you make any prints of this painting .. please let me know .. if I can afford it .. I would love to buy a print of it for hanging on my wall 🙂 .. you are such a gifted artist .. you touch hearts and souls!!!

    I love all your flowers and other paintings .. they are a totally different type of emotion .. happy and fragrant and full of fulfilled promises and luscious beauty.

    The on-going racism/white supremacy movement of America breaks my heart every day .. coming from a very abusive childhood lived in a mixed race working class neighborhood in Midwest .. I can well understand *some* of the rage that is manifesting in these fires .. and I sympathize as well as empathize .. I learned about decency and kindness and compassion from our neighbors cuz there was none of it in the house I lived in!

    Until Trump, I thought we as a country had come so much further than we have .. part of me hopes the entire country burns down today to reform from the ashes into a decent place for us all to live and love and care for and with each other. Do I actually expect a Phoenix to arise in my lifetime .. sigh .. no .. but HOPE for it to happen lives in my heart and soul while breath remains in my body 🙂

    .. maybe the reason I almost envy the escaping souls that I see in your painting is because there is still too much hate here and I just want to love all my neighbors in peace and harmony and be loved in return!

  6. Beautifully done, Winifred, as always. I find the pandemic painting most moving. So many deaths that the souls are suspended to await their entry into either heaven or hell. Or does the fire represent a cleansing and release.
    We must all speak out. Silence is not an option.

  7. Thank you for your comment Maria. This was tough to paint emotionally but there is nothing literal or logical about it. I love having that freedom. In so many ways, it’s been such a tough week. Perhaps, I’ll paint orange poppies just for my own smile.

  8. Winnifred there is so much grief and sadness in this painting for me. It conveys to me how we have become accustomed to the enormity of the number of lives lost and how we have become desensitized to the loss of life. It also deals with the reality of how the number of fatalities has required a production line in order to manage the final disposition of the deceased. I also wonder about the mindset of the attendant at the crematorium. That is someone’s life, what are they like, how do they deal with the reality of the work they do.

  9. It’s interesting Ken. There were many interpretations of this painting, which is what I expected and which is fine and perfect, but I must say, your interpretation is the story I had in mind. It’s all quite a disaster, and after the events of the death of George Floyd, it’s likely to get worse – the price for fighting an equally disastrous enemy. Thank you for your comment. Winifred

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