This is a memorial painting I did of my father. I choose a photo of him in uniform not only cause he fought in WW2 for what he believed was right, but also cause I believe my father never really came back from that war. I titled it "Resounding Silence" for the same reason, for all the unspoken words, deeds and loss of love due the deep soul shattering rages of war. War is inhuman, there are only losers all round, the toll too is great. My father spent most of his time absent from his children, either behind a newspaper, or tending his potato patch in the bush away from family. He could not stand noise, we always had to be quiet and thats a hard thing for a child, thank God we had acres to roam and trees to climb but as an adult I can see the reality of my fathers life and his torture that he tried to hide from us all. I saw my fathers tears as he told me that he "had seen too much in his life an he was tired, that he could not take anymore." That is my last memory of my father, he died four months later, the very day I was going home to see him. Within the painting of bushy green I placed nine birds to represent myself and my siblings. I also placed a butterfly to represent my mother, symbolic of her love.
I wish Love were enough, enough to save mankind from Wars, from hatred and prejudice, from the injustice we do to one another, I wish for Peace. I wish for butterflies and birdsong. I wish all the fathers peace and love.
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