Memory Vessel 2008

This painting is part of a series of images that deal with memory. They are based on my travels in Greece, Turkey, and Italy from 2008 - 2018. As an artist I am fascinated with how our minds deals with, creates, stores, uses, and builds memories. Do we create in our minds vessels where our memories are stored? Can memories be stored? How do they change over time and do they change with use? All kinds of questions arise when I begin to look deeply into this. I chose the form of ancient Greek vases as these shapes are lasting forms—surviving centuries to tell the story of the culture of ancient Greece.

This piece looks specifically at my first trip to Greece in 2008 as I was planning out an upcoming 10-week study abroad program. I traveled all over Greece and Turkey with my son and a fellow painter and his son putting together our plan for the study abroad program. In 16 days we went from Athens to Crete to Santorini to Samos and then into Turkey visiting Selçuk, and on up to Instanbul. An intense short fast trip that covered a great deal of ground.

WIthin the image it contains a floor plan of an ancient structure. In each room there is a shape that relates to a memory. This is an ancient device for how to remember and tell a story. You fill up rooms in building and then when you want to remember you go from room to room.

The painting is 24 x 24 inches. Acrylic and oil on panel. The piece is unframed. On the back of the panel are two French cleats for easy hanging.