Beyond Words

I had the figures sketched in for this painting when I received a call that my Father was dying. I flew to Virginia, and sat with him 24 hours a day, for those last 7 days. Once as I left his side, I kissed him on his forehead, and he puckered his lips to kiss me back! Another time I shared a very tender thought with him, and his mouth closed, trying not to cry! So, should you ever be with someone in a coma, TALK TO THEM, they can hear you, they just might not be able to respond!
When I returned to my home these two figures reminded me of him, during that last week. After the painting was completed, I understood what it was I was sensing: the woman in the back with the red umbrella, I have NEVER painted a figure that looks DIRECTLY at the viewers. The Oriental believe that RED represents the soul! So this figure under the red umbrella was my Father's SOUL watching us as he lay dying. The figure in front, in FULL VIEW, just as my father's body was, with her eyes turned down cannot see us. Thus the title: BEYOND WORDS.