Elysian Fields

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 3 - Butterfly

My first oil painting.

The title refers to the final resting place for the souls of the virtuous in Greek Mythology. It is also a reference to the term “The Little Death”(orgasm), highlighting the relationship between death and ecstasy. Her blue figure and explosive colors express the moment of climax and death. The flowers on her eyes are a play on the ancient Greek ritual of putting coins over the eyes of the deceased so that they may pay the ferryman Charon to sail them over the river Styx to the Elysian Fields. Normally, though, the dead only needed one coin as they would stay in the afterlife forever. This woman gets two, because she must cross the river twice and return to life.

References were used

Approx. 40x120cm, oil on canvas

2010-2011

 

Shortly after I finished the painting a butterfly decided to sit on it for a while. I’m not sure why it did that, but it was a sweet little moment.