When I was in fifth grade or so, my sister and I made time capsules with a couple of our friends out of empty Sundrop Bottles. We buried them in the yard, but I don't remember where- or if we ever dug them back up. I like the idea of seeing what is underground. Buried Treasure. Fossilized remains. The cypress is, I have learned, a symbol of the duality of life, or of burying and resurrection... the tree was the first thing in the drawing- guess it makes sense that I decided to bury an old pirate under it. I have also realized that I have been unknowingly channeling Klimt lately. Which is fine. This is his "Tree of Life" and it is one of my favorites of his.
Recently, I heard an interview on Fresh Air with Chuck Close. My favorite part of the interview was when he talks about meeting William de Kooning, his art idol. He told de Kooning that he was glad to finally meet someone who had painted more de Kooning's than he had. I found that very comforting against what I call the PoMo Blues (the post modernist, ummm, ideal that nothing new is under the sun, every art has been done, everthing is appropriation and meaningless, etc etc etc). Yep, It's been done. But not through my filter. Chuck Close learned a lot about art through painting de Koonings, and moving through that. I don't mind that I am channeling Klimt. Don't think I will be breaking out the gold leaf, though.
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