Letter to the Future

“Letter to the future” is the second part of “Letter to the present”. The first piece had such a great impact on a number of people, so it was only fitting that part two was born. The success of part two has now called for part three. 

A lot of people have asked me time and time again what this concept is all about. The interpretations can dive in so many different directions, and the giant duck is what makes this happen. The duck draws everyone in with a smile on their face, and once in, the severity of the message hits them. Sometimes not, but when it does, it really does hit home. 

Much like the current environmental issues at hand. We smile for the fun things we have, then realise the consequences that the fun we are having may cause. 

The really amazing thing with this piece is that it went to a collector that it made a difference for. His flight was held up in Vancouver, so he had time to spare and dived into the city for a few hours to take a look at some art. 

He found this piece in our gallery and personally fell in love with the art and the message. He showed his family the piece, and his kids really loved it as well, which was important to him. 

The real kicker for me is that he is the CEO of a mining company and his goal with the piece is to use it as a reminder of his responsibility to the environment. The second part is that his kids will grow up with the piece and eventually understand the importance of the message. 

What the piece means to me is very focused on us as humans and our thoughts toward our environment. 

The duck represents the fun, the man represents us. What happens when the duck lands in the shit because we have broken all of our promises. I.e, break the environment. It won’t be fun any more when the duck is sitting in the middle of the desert…  and that storm is sure as hell coming for all of us. 

I listen to a lot of science podcasts (while painting) and every well respected untainted scientist believes that we have to make changes now. The thing is that we all talk. I am not saying that I am the duck, the man or even a great steward of our environment. I am saying that talk is not enough and the reason the man is crossing his fingers behind his back is a simple comment about how we generally are as humans. We make promises and very few of us keep them.  We want the best for the environment, but we are all willing to jump in our petroleum fuelled car and burn across the city on any given day. We use plastic bags, our phones and our simple comforts are all fuelled by the very things that will be our downfall. 

Even for example, there is nothing more heartbreaking than watching a documentary by David Attenborough. He takes a very grim look at our impact on the environment and shows where we are going wrong. This can be for something as simple as eating, and our eating habits can throw off the entire balance of the world’s animal population.

The other important part of this piece is the Joshua trees in the artwork. In the middle of painting this piece, while the US government shut down was happening, there was a huge party in Joshua Tree National Park where some of these trees, that are hundreds of years old, were vandalized. As Olga and I had been there only a month before that, we were so disappointed in people and their disrespectful actions once again. 

Evolution is something that blows my mind on a daily basis. The intricate balance of this planet has been thrown so far out of whack by humans which is so heartbreaking to learn.  

Anyway, enough ranting on that. What I do love about David Attenborough documentaries is that after each problem, he lightens up the viewing with the possibilities for change, and if we do change, there is so much good we can do for and with the planet. Meaning we need to become more symbiotic with the planet. Which is very possible, as long as greed can step aside. 

So I hope I have triggered some heart strings in this piece. As always this is only my opinion and it is based on only what I have learned in my time. I know a climate change denier will always have their rebuttal and they are welcome to it. The thing that I personally feel is missing in this world is an abundance of meaningful conversation about this topic, or any topic for that matter. Communication is where it falls apart. 

It’s like we have been divided into teams and there is no way we will let the other team win no matter what. My thoughts on this is that we all need to get off our pedestals and listen to the people that truly know what is going on, rather than trying to be armchair scientists. 

Anyway, you can tell by now that I am quite passionate about this, as I sit here typing on my Apple laptop, drinking from my plastic bottle, in my polyester hoodie, leather shoes and my car outside while having a “ducking” good life. Tough to argue with this comfort. 

All I can do is do my best.