...bottle fame, brew glory...

(1995) 10"x13" Oil on Canvas

And now for something completely different...

This is an old piece I did when I still thought I would one day be able to handle oils and enjoy it. Alas, this never came to pass! (I'd much rather grab a pencil or a blow torch...)

I chose objects that would be a challenge because of their textures: matte and glossy blue glass, a fox skull, a nautilus, a piece of parchment with the seven-rayed star of the planets, a brass talisman for the element of Earth and several other vaguely magical objects. Overall it's a piece about life and death, the microcosm and the macrocosm.

These days the picture hangs over the piano at my parents' home and I took a so-so photograph of it during my last visit. I guess I'm feeling nostalgic today.

The overall alchemistical feel made me chose a nice poetic quote from our favorite potions master as a title.