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nosurprises β€” The Family Tree

Published: 2007-05-27 15:33:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 71997; Favourites: 2801; Downloads: 2062
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Description 32" x 48"
acrylic on masonite

Part one of a series I am slowly building. The theme is different interpretations on how the outside world views America. Some might say it's clichΓ©, but how I plan on approaching it might make up for face value opinions. This particular painting is not finished, as I plan on adding several oil glazes for depth, and some scumbling for both detail and color. The history behind this piece is a conversation I had with a Russian guy not too long ago, and something he said about American family values spawned a mental image of this. I deliberated painting this for a while, because I am in college and such dark imagery can make or break certain facets of shows, opinions, money, etc. However, I've decided to never again spoonfeed my work to the public, so enjoy. Comments appreciated.

Edit:
By request of many, the story behind this piece: I once had a conversation with a Russian foreign exchange student about the things they value in his country. He said that he and everyone he'd ever known from his home valued family above all else. I nodded and agreed that I personally shared a similar viewpoint. To this he said "No no no, I don't think a lot of you Americans feel that way. Seems like you forget about your family right when you leave the home to become an adult. It's like you might as well hang your family out to dry." What he meant was that we hang them out to dry like laundry, but his tone and context sparked this imagery in my head and was the primary inspiration for this piece.
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Comments: 352

TheSemiMoon [2016-12-05 21:00:23 +0000 UTC]

lov u

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Waldrim [2015-11-14 17:25:37 +0000 UTC]

really nice one...

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MikeGould [2014-12-28 08:59:29 +0000 UTC]

I think it is often important to step back and look at things like society from the outside. We all have a tendency to look at what we have and not be able to understand why everyone else doesn't want the same. Yet we can often get too wound up in our own dreams. The world is diverse and we can learn from other societies as they can learn from us. Your comment on spoonfeeding the public resonates. A few years ago I came to the realisation that while you are creating your work is personal to you, your vision. Once it goes into tg the public domain it becomes everyones. The important thing is that it makes people think - change comes from within. Β  Β  Β  Β 

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Ebrius-ART [2012-08-14 08:58:47 +0000 UTC]

awesome!!!

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Windowsill7 [2012-07-23 22:34:46 +0000 UTC]

This looks awesome

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tlejeck [2012-05-29 15:44:17 +0000 UTC]

Brilliant work! Love the color choice especially.

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Dziecko-we-mgle [2012-05-27 16:46:27 +0000 UTC]

very interesting work

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Matbuk [2012-04-16 09:51:46 +0000 UTC]

www.whoartyou.net/en
an artistic contest in Milan!
Check it out!

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StudioOctagram [2012-02-29 04:12:56 +0000 UTC]

whoa.

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AronBack [2012-02-21 14:36:18 +0000 UTC]

somehow the fact that you included the dog makes this picture more intense i like it really much

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metalgolem [2012-01-11 02:24:50 +0000 UTC]

Amazing work.
Reblogged through tumblr.

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SheBecomesTheCure [2011-12-28 12:01:54 +0000 UTC]

Interesting concept... I like the colors.

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katehlouise [2011-09-10 15:03:44 +0000 UTC]

Oh, this is brilliant!

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Gorbanzo [2011-09-05 18:38:44 +0000 UTC]

I really enjoy that you paint with meaning.. great acrylic work

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IRAtheIV [2011-08-26 17:04:01 +0000 UTC]

masonite is so much better than canvas

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TheFulkrum [2011-05-06 03:49:10 +0000 UTC]

[link]

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nosurprises In reply to TheFulkrum [2011-05-10 16:18:31 +0000 UTC]

cheers

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TheFulkrum In reply to nosurprises [2011-05-15 08:37:54 +0000 UTC]

no worries

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Tigglett [2011-03-05 19:40:01 +0000 UTC]

Nicely done

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FlameYinYang [2010-12-17 14:37:36 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, this is pretty much what my family tree looks like.

Nice work. I like the dark feel that the shadows and coloring grant the composition.

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M-Eckert [2010-12-12 19:33:00 +0000 UTC]

This is a truly brilliant piece of work and I think is open to many interpretations. I love that the colors add so much mood. Nice work!

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gabrielbuisson55 [2010-10-09 17:34:26 +0000 UTC]

Nice !

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TheStoryNeverEnds [2010-10-07 21:36:32 +0000 UTC]

Hmm...eerie, but cool. Very imaginative.

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nuckinfuts-xD [2010-09-19 04:04:09 +0000 UTC]

Dude, this is crazy but totally awesome

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uwagagryze [2010-09-11 22:10:01 +0000 UTC]

This is the best work i've recently seen. Perfect! And these colours! Mmm...

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VENEZOLANO777 [2010-08-31 14:43:19 +0000 UTC]

why the dog? lol

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stelbailey [2010-08-28 16:48:36 +0000 UTC]

Intense!

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ZiggyRichardson [2010-08-20 17:19:49 +0000 UTC]

Awesome.

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keyminor [2010-08-16 05:08:10 +0000 UTC]

O__O
just wow.

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Simanion [2010-08-08 17:59:59 +0000 UTC]

Incredible! Intense and jarring piece. Jarring in a good, effective way

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ntyme89 [2010-06-22 23:48:26 +0000 UTC]

that's badass man. very very nice

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Anemetta [2010-06-11 16:05:01 +0000 UTC]

scary cool pic

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PurpleSugar [2010-05-21 01:34:17 +0000 UTC]

LOVE it

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uniqueen2004 [2010-05-20 13:21:45 +0000 UTC]

Dark, disturbing, but very eloquent. And I agree, you should never spoonfeed your work to the public. If you do, your best will never show.

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Sydabee [2010-05-12 03:39:18 +0000 UTC]

yes.

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Melladreams [2010-04-20 16:48:42 +0000 UTC]

I love to draw trees, this one is wonderful in everyway. great work! It makes me wonder what the root structure wood look like....it makes me think, to be lost within a picture, to me that is good art!

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Raven-Dementia [2010-03-31 05:20:24 +0000 UTC]

Trippy. Nice concept!

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Beclos [2010-03-08 17:27:31 +0000 UTC]

Wow This is so beautiful and so creepy! I just LOVE it!

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engeltjemaeli [2010-03-02 18:18:16 +0000 UTC]

is that a dog? poor dog, what did he do wrong to end up like this? D':

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nosurprises In reply to engeltjemaeli [2010-03-02 18:29:02 +0000 UTC]

that is the question

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kamakadze [2010-02-28 13:05:03 +0000 UTC]

ohhh god i love it!! i love the expression in tree's face

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runbeat [2010-02-20 17:22:10 +0000 UTC]

JESUS CHRIST.

I fucking love this.

It's so intense, twisted and heart-breakingly honest.

I wanna, uh, eat it.

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MBKKR [2010-02-18 12:30:10 +0000 UTC]

Comming along nicely.

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AsatorArise [2010-02-03 16:29:11 +0000 UTC]

great job i love the tree

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DiscoFrankenstein3 [2010-02-02 09:34:52 +0000 UTC]

If we come to the point when we cant, for whatever reasons ,Transfer our imagery in our heads to canvas,Then art will become dead, We all know this...

Its the broader majorities that will condemn free thinking in the arts,through fear and social precepts..

I wish that I had painted your piece, it is wonderful.

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loserXface [2009-12-01 04:08:13 +0000 UTC]

hi, do you attend ecu?
sorry for the weird question,
i went there for a high school art field trip a year or two ago,
and i saw this painting in a student made sale.
i absolutely loved it! i stood and stared at it forever.
i saw a sculpture of it as well, i think, while on the tour of the art department.

amazing artwork

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nosurprises In reply to loserXface [2009-12-01 14:20:20 +0000 UTC]

Not a weird question at all, and yes I do still attend ECU. I'm delighted to hear that you both enjoyed and remembered my work. It's very humbling to hear such things. Are you thinking of attending ECU?

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loserXface In reply to nosurprises [2009-12-04 17:40:37 +0000 UTC]

it's no problem it was one of the more memorable ones i've seen there and i've been on that field trip each year throughout high school. i'm attending a community college right now and then plan to transfer soon. i'm not quite sure to where at the moment though.

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nosurprises In reply to loserXface [2009-12-05 06:18:53 +0000 UTC]

ah, what field of study are you looking in to?

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loserXface In reply to nosurprises [2009-12-05 17:35:37 +0000 UTC]

nursing

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