Hesitance

"Hesitance," oil on board. 16x20"

"Hesitance" is the first piece in a new body of personal work. In the past, I haven't made a habit of blogging about the meaning behind my paintings, but with this new work I intend to. Aside from being created for my portfolio, it also has a deeper personal meaning, and I feel it deserves a companion blog post.

The past year has been a difficult time in my life, and an overarching theme has been change. I had been resistant to that change until recently, when it came to a head. I was forced to face it. This illustration and several others coming in the next few months deal with the issues I have been facing.

"Hesitance" deals with the concept of stages in life's journey, and subsequently, of change. I chose to use death as a metaphor for change, inspired by Viking funerals. In mythology (and religions for that matter), death is often seen not as an ending, but rather the next phase of one's journey. 

The archer is tasked with sending off a companion to the next phase of their life, and his flaming arrow is prepared to be fired. But he hesitates - he, too, will have to deal with the change brought forth by the absence of that companion. Perhaps he is grappling with the reality of this juncture, or silently saying a final goodbye...

When we are faced with moments of great change we are often hesitant to walk the new path. It seems treacherous - it's unexplored, unknown. Our archer knows he is marking the end of one life - one phase. But perhaps in the end, there can also be found a beginning.

As the sun sets on this day, and a chapter comes to a close, we may make peace under the stars. For in time, the sun will rise again, and the start of a new journey begins.