Post Katrina Still Life

Post Katrina Still Life
11 X 14
Acrylic on canvas

Me and my husband rode out Hurricane Katrina in his parents home a mile north of our home in Gulfport, MS, where the storm center hit. We were trapped in the home with little food and water. Gas was not available so we could not travel home to see our damaged property. Communication was not available either. With no way to contact loved ones and nothing to do because there was no gas or electricity, the only thing we could do was swelter in the scorching heat and go crazy, or vent my stress into a work of art. I chose to paint a still life. The sunflowers represent the dependency of life on water (water was a scarce necessity during this time). The window represents a need for escape. The chair represents time, all we could do is sit and wait. The contrast of dark and light represent how unexpected and how quickly life can change. The vegetables represent a limited food supply. The bowl represents relying on God and his angels (white figures in the bowl) to get us through this.