A Very Sad Love Song
By: Bobbie Jo Dyar
I don't really name Paintings I just paint them. I was told once at an Art Show they needed names. So I tried to open my mind to them having names. I still don't name them upon creation I paint them hang them on the wall and after a period of time they seem to name themselves.
This particular painting I created after getting some beautiful flowers from my now late husband. I'm pretty sure it was a mother's day gift from him and my daughter. Roses are so very splendid it took me years of painting to even get the courage to attempt one. They last a week or so after being cut so I spent a few days simply appreciating their beauty then decided I better attempt to capture their splendor before they wilted.
I wanted a background of sorts since I had created a few just standalones already. I had been wanting to attempt to paint my violin I was practicing regularly at the time so I put a sheet in the middle of the living room floor placed the violin then arranged roses on and around it.
I'm far from a conventional artist I rarely use an easel so I sat in the floor beside the arrangement with the canvas on my lap and began the journey. I love to listen to music as I paint so I feel into my musical painting trance of sorts and created this. I remember the angle of some of the pedals appeared to look like hearts it occurred to me this must be one of the many reasons these are a favorite symbol of love.
I try my best not to be overly critical of my art as it is a hobby, pass time, and form of therapy for me. Still I was disappointed to see I had not angled the painting enough to fit in the lovely scroll. Since that is considered the top I see now I painted this upside-down from bottom to top. Typical of my unorthodox style.
Now back to it's name... I'm sitting here this morning enjoying my coffee when my phone gets a message. It's from Facebook reminding me it's Pete Dyar's Birthday. I had not forgotten it had been on my mind for a few days but I was still waking up when it arrived so it did hit me a little hard.
The name for this painting came to me a few months after it's creation my husband and I had been arguing not a big surprise to anyone who knew us. I was a bit distressed from his harsh words and looked at the painting with it's lovely hearts tried to be reminded of the "good" times but the feelings of sadness prevailed in the situation and I thought some days this marriage is like a very sad love song. Not just the arguments but the fact we had lost our first child and the relationship had been filled with grief since near the beginning.
So the name kinda stuck. A very sad love song. A few years later he would be diagnosed with cancer and after a long battle he passed. It's been a little over 3 years ago so holidays, birthdays, events are still a bit difficult. After seeing the message this morning I looked over at this painting and wondered how much it knew when it seemed to name itself. A Very Sad Love Song indeed.
Still the hearts remain and once created so does Love it may be followed by an array of other emotions but when singled out and focused upon there is still Love amid the assortment of emotions.
PS if you are curious about the blue speck of paint so am I to be honest, it's on many of the paintings and splashed across the walls here in my living room this exact same color. I am to assume it's from a painting I did at some point in time where I must have added this color in a rather wild manner and caused it to splash across the walls and on to other paintings. I could remove it but I choose not to it adds a bit of character and reminds me that while these paintings can stand alone they are like pieces of a puzzle all connected. If or when I remember the painting that caused this unique occurrence I will be sure to share it with you.
Thanks for reading my story. I hope you have a beautiful day!
Oops I nearly forgot as I decided to write about this particular painting this morning a story came to me to share about Pete and his particular love for flowers. Now Pete was a 6 foot 4 Marine as hard as steel. After the Marine Corps he became a Stonemason a business I joined him in for almost 20 years. Many mornings we would be at a local hardware store picking up materials for the day. I being who I am was often in a hurry to get this done and get on to work but Pete he had a different personality he enjoyed strolling thru the garden center admiring every flower along the way. This tickled me he being such a large manly man who was practically being dragged out of the garden center by his wife. He didn't just admire flowers in the stores but everywhere we came across them. He gave me a new perspective on appreciating the little things in life and for this I will be eternally grateful. Happy birthday Pete thanks for the good times.