“Octopus Brains” is a series of Octopus Portraits that ultimately depict the three predominant mindsets I fluctuate in and out of in a the Covid-fatigued Fall of 2020. The short series uses a combination of homemade inks and pigments with watercolour on Cotton.

Festering (2021)

14” x 10” | Watercolour & Ink on Cotton

It took me a while to realize that my bandwidth was being taken up by a lot of low level anger in the form of frustration and stress. When able to identify that a lot of this anger stemmed from the feelings that my “rights” and freedoms were being impinged upon and a general feeling of unfairness or injustice was identified, it helped me let go. Ultimately, the first world debates of mask or not to mask, vaccinate or not vaccinate, over-the-top restrictions or government leniency, economic health vs hospitalization strain, or the Fentanyl Crisis vs Covid Fatalities, everyone has their own priorities, opinions and values stemming from their own background, lifestyle and perspectives. Right now, it doesn’t matter where on the spectrum one lies in the polarization of ideas and viewpoints, many people’s sense of freedom and rights feel impinged upon in someway, there is a feeling of injustice in someway and it results in some kind of low level anger if not a full blown rage. ‘Festering’ somehow sympathies to that low-level frustration and my proclivity to be short, touchy, and snappy.

Forgiveness Octopus (2021)

10” x 14” | Watercolour & Ink on Cotton

I think in a quiet break where I was able to decompress over some tunes that reminded me of my need for mercy, grace and forgiveness, and that all those things were readily available to me at arms reach if I would only let go to the things I’me foolishly determined to hold on to. As I begin to surrender to things that are beyond my control, like the imagined rights and freedoms I thought I used to have, it helped me take life a little seriously understanding that life doesn’t really promise you a “right” to ease, a work life balance, or a spouse that can read your mind ;). As I began to forgive the world around me, surrender to the things beyond me, my ability to take life a little less seriously. to laugh a little more at myself and enjoy the sweet moments that I do still have with friends and family made the day a little sweeter.

Oh Shelter me, Please! (2021)

10” x 14” | Watercolour & Ink on Cotton

Moving from Festering to Forgiveness, those pink fleshy corals and pinks expressed my sense of exposed vulnerability in the heavy dark and prickly world I sometimes find myself in. It’s tense, I’m frightened, and I’m calling out to One who can rescue me.