Schweinehaxe Painting

The vulnerability of being human is sometimes daunting, even in the most glorious moments. We constantly hustle, give, receive, live, love, and at times, find ourselves contemplating our existence and what it means, and its worth. Life is beautiful, but we are exposed—and at times, feel like a piece of meat. When I was a kid, my Dad would take me to local butcher shop in our neighborhood. Behind the counter was a beast of a man; an old German WWI vet, who was a gunner during the war. He was hardened, but inside the crunchy exterior was a very sweet, lovable soul. His skin was heavy and thick, and his arms were covered with crude tattoos. While the figure in this painting appears much too soft and sweet to be the old German butcher; nonetheless, there is a complex woven web of people, life, and existence, emanating from the glow of this faceless portrait.