What Is Left

acrylic on paper

This little painting is from a series of leftovers that I completed forever ago. By leftover, I mean leftover paint. I hated washing unused paint down the sink, it seemed sad, a loss of possibility, so after working on one of my paintings, instead of discarding the paint that was unused, I created mini abstract paintings and monotype prints. I had forgotten about them until I found this one tucked inside a book. I'm pretty sure I affixed them on greeting cards and gave the rest away.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what is left: life, relationships. etc. My first thought centered on the body, so of course I immediately thought of Sally Mann's "What Remains" photography collection. Be forewarned that these photgraphs are of the body in various stages of decomposition. They are unflinching and brutal and wholly fascinating. I love her work! I chanced upon the book when it first came out, and my immediate reaction was, "who photographs decaying bodies?" An hour or so later I pulled myself out of her images. Check Ovation tv's schedule for the "What Remains" feature on Sally and her work, or have your local library order it in for you. I haven't watched this, but found a link for the feature on youtube,(my computer is being difficult so you'll have to google it).