 Title of the painting: "The Sun Who Became A Pig Then Forgot He Was A Sun", 8" x 10" Oil on board.
Explanation When people look at this image most see a painting of a pig watching TV. On a deeper level, the pig image was inspired by an ancient Greek tale in which a god was challenged to become mortal. It was believed by the other gods that the mortal world was so intoxicating and sensuous that even a god would forget his godliness upon visiting there. However, one of the greatest gods accepted the challenge and proclaimed that he would become mortal for three days and then under his own powers return to the god-world. He chose to become a pig. But as soon as he became a pig he forgot his godliness because of the overwhelming, intoxicating and sensual pleasure of wallowing in mud and rooting for tubers, nuts and insects. After three days he only knew that he was a pig and nothing more. Finally, it took several gods using their supernatural powers to bring him back to the god-world where even after he was transformed back into a god he continued crawling on all fours and oinking like a pig for days. In a contemporary interpretation the image is a metaphor for how we have become lost in the affairs of the world and have forgotten our true identity. Which isn’t that we are Greek gods, but something far greater.
 “An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.”
— James McNeill Whistler I address the true value of art in my book "The Awakening Artist". "Nocturne in black and gold" by Whistler  “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
— Pablo Picasso I try to make my online oil painting classes a place of peace and creativity. It's good for the soul. Picasso Self Portrait |
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Patrick Howe, Artist, Author and Educator Seattle, WA. Contact: patrick@patrickhowe.com |