Continuing my project of bringing my older works up to date…
This was the first of a series of acrylics I did back in 1995 that I called, “The Purple People.” The purple people are meant to be every-people. They were inspired by a fellow from this art class I took in college. We had the usual sketchbook assignments and every one of his pages had these little faceless people on them. On one page, he drew fencers with hearts. I liked the way they looked and borrow his idea a few years later. I wish I remembered his name. He was an engineering student I think.
Anyway, I wish I’d written down what exactly I’d been thinking when I painted this, but I’m pretty sure it’s about growing up and also about falling and being out of control. I was 23 when I did this and a recent transplant to Los Angeles. Let me see what I can remember…
- First, the dreamer is dreaming of falling which usually indicates being out of control of one’s life. Consider that the thesis statement.
- The top right panel is a complete steal from The Catcher in the Rye. See the little children playing ball, falling off the cliff and then growing up and becoming Suits.
- The middle left panel is taken from The Fool card in a Tarot deck (note the dog tugging at the leg). This one is actually falling in love, though. The heart falls first and then you tumble after it with Junes, spoons, moons, etc. Dog is saying, “Don’t be a fool!”
- The middle right panel is of falling and hitting bottom with no place to go but up (this is a panel I personally have no experience with).
- And I think the last panel repeats the first one. Being out of control but not terribly concerned about it. Just questioning what’s going on and seeing where you land.
This painting is available as a print on deviantArt.