My brother and I have always been pretty close, especially though some really difficult times growing up. After almost seven years of incarceration, he was released from prison this past November. For those years, we could only visit every few months since he was imprisoned quite a ways away from us. Not long after his first year, we visited him in winter and on the long way home we drove along the Illinois River. That was the first time I’d seen Snow Geese and it left a big impression on me. Funnily, when we picked him up in November, I saw a flock of Snow Geese flying over the prison that none of us will ever have to see again. Now it’s the bird I’ll associate most with my brother.
Although my brother was the main inspiration for this piece, over the course of working on it I started to project more personal sentiments upon it as well. 2022, especially the end of it, was full of a lot of exhausting challenges. Mentally and emotionally I’m still recovering, but I’m hoping very much to leave all that behind as I process things and step into a brighter year. And to anyone reading this, I very much wish the best for you too.
I retired my murder florals because I was afraid paintings I'd made while in an abusive living situation would be misinterpreted as supporting January 6th. It's been a few years maybe they can come out again.