Future’s Lifeline

Future's Lifeline Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 24"
 
Oscar lives on my left forearm. My red side, the side that carries friction.
 
I chose an octopus because of what they actually do — they can't change where they are so they change how they are made. Genetically, physiologically, they adapt at a level most creatures can't. Oscar is a reminder that surviving your environment sometimes means becoming something different within it, not surrendering, transforming.
 
This painting was commissioned for a documentary called Rendering Visions, exploring where local artists see the future of art going and specifically the building of Art Inc., a new incubation space for artists in Fort McMurray. The submarine is Art Inc., a vessel navigating uncertain water, a lifeline for artists trying to find their way in a field that doesn't make it easy. The eye watches the horizon, decorated and deliberate, because vision matters, knowing where you're going before you get there.
 
Oscar holds it all together. He always does.
 
The painting was documented across 450 photographs taken stroke by stroke for the film. It is currently showing as part of the documentary on the international festival circuit.
 
$800 CAD — Original, one of a kind. 24x24 acrylic on canvas. Free local pickup in Fort McMurray. Shipping quoted on request.