Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Oil on Panel
12 x 12
Available
$1,500.00 USD
Number 4 in the series- "The Weight Of Memory, "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore is a painting about absence, limitation, and the ways that life can change what we are physically or emotionally able to do. The title is a direct reference to the well-known song associated with Duke Ellington, originally released in 1940, whose lyrics speak to a life that is no longer as active or familiar as it once was.
The imagery in the painting suggests the possibility of a person who once moved freely but, through injury, age, circumstance, or the lasting effects of physical or psychological experiences, can no longer move through the world in the same way. I was particularly interested in the sacrifices made by military personnel and the possibility of returning home physically changed by their service. The work can also be understood more broadly, as a reflection on anyone whose circumstances have altered the way they experience everyday life.
I worked in oil, using layered paint, dramatic lighting, restrained colors, and carefully rendered textures to create an atmosphere that feels both familiar and distant. The realistic treatment of the objects is intentional; I want the viewer to recognize something tangible while allowing the objects to suggest a larger, unseen story.
The inspiration for the painting comes from my ongoing interest in memory, history, sacrifice, and the passage of time. The title and imagery work together to suggest that sometimes “not getting around much anymore” is not simply about where someone goes, but about everything that has changed between who they once were and who they have become.
As with much of my work, I am interested in the histories contained within ordinary things. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore asks the viewer to consider the person behind the objects—and the experiences that may have brought them to where they are now.
