Free
12" x 16"
Oil on Linen
Pinocchio, the little wooden puppet who wanted to be a normal boy, represents my son in this painting. The controlling strings of this world are severed, the butterflies are angels leading him to a better place. This was the first painting I was able to do from start to finish after learning of my sons' homicide the year before. I cried when I completed it. I felt like I was saying good-bye to him all over again by putting down the paint brush. Something deep down believed that as long as I was painting it he was still here with me. The grieving became fresh again. I had learned to suppress grief for the outside world and thought I was doing a pretty good job. But, grief is powerful. It refused to stay hidden. I couldn't simply slap on a bandage and expect it to heal
The wounds being exposed, it was yet another long period of time before I painted another piece.
Copyright Paula Peacock 2016
