Androgenous Worm God
oil on canvas

This piece was inspired by two religious images;

1. The last supper as I saw it in the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago at a friends' wedding. For some reason it just struck me as a dark comedy that could be presented with any cast of characters. Maybe it's just the whole catholic "thing" that has really begun to dominate so much of the world. To me it's become this almost dark comedy that was written thousands of years ago and is now a cult classic. A story taken to the ultimate limit and beyond, to the point of causing death and destruction in some cases. And yes, there is love to be found there too. When the story is read and taken as the story. The ideas read and understood as what they, perhaps, were; someone trying to create world peace and love. Or maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about and just like to paint dark things, and the fact that they may be based on a powerful religious system is purely coincidence. Religious system. How does that sound to you? Say it out loud to the person next to you....."Religious System".
   
2. The other religious image I saw that inspired this was a small framed print I happened upon in the good old "bible belt" itself, Arkansas. I was in a five and dime type store and I saw this picture of Jesus walking down a path. He looked happy, he was smiling, but his leg had a bleeding wound. There was a dog licking the wound. The dog looked quite happy about the whole thing. It was just a happy day with Jesus getting his wound licked by a dog on a path that led to......somewhere. Maybe it lead to my painting? How's that for prophecy? hah