With this piece I wanted to convey the feeling of hopelessness that comes with artistic exhaustion. This girl has given up her music, the expression of her soul, for the person she thought would appreciate it the most.

Ultimately, the picture can speak for itself, but I have used some traditional symbolism within the composition that may demand explanation.

Traditionally, ravens represent death and ill omens. A well-known rhyme in Britain and Ireland records the myth "one for sorrow, two for joy". These two ravens, however, are deliberately looking in different directions as if each refuses to acknowledge the other (and the girl does not see either of them). I will leave this open to interpretation...

The two chess pieces on the floor depict the fall of the queen and the survival of the pawn, which could be seen as the destruction of the more important object and the survival of what was previously dismissed as insignificant. On the other hand, the fallen piece is white, the color of hope, while the piece left standing is black, the color of darkness and doubt and a symbol of mourning.

The framed portrait represents isolation of the soul. This girl is deliberately hiding from herself. Yet the decorative frame makes it obvious that the painting (symbolizing herself) is the most valuable item in this room. Once the girl realizes her own worth, she can decide whether to leave in search of new inspiration, or restore what she has left and create her own.


background; piano
model
girl in painting
picture frame
raven #1
raven #2
chess pieces
vintage grunge texture