An Audience

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oil on canvas on aluminum composite panel, 19 by 30 inches unframed, 23 by 34 inches framed.  Completed October 2020.

An Audience has a bit of a double meaning.  My friend Albert is hilarious.  He has a way of entertaining anyone he is with even when silultaneously pointing out the the undesirable character traits of those same people.  And people love him for it.  Give Albert an audience and he will perform.

He is popular; people like him and want to spend time with him.  He is generous; people come to him for handouts.  As a result, Albert is hard to get an audience with.  He knows his nature and he knows that people will take advange of him; so he has become a self-proclaimed hermit, living alone in the family home without water or electric, going out to forage as needed.

The scene shows me enjoying a moment with Albert as he graciously passes on food items he has collected but cannot use.  Why can't we all be more like Albert--and less like those who make him shy away?

'An Audience' was selected for inclusion in 'I'll Be There', hosted by AnneMarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, Solomons, MD, June-August, 2022.