“I Leave You My Heart in This”

Diptych, Acrylic on Paper

Inspired by the poem “The Note” by Paul-Victor Winters, this painting blossoms to life with references to the Hero’s Journey and World Mythology.

On the left, a poet presents a call to action and performs the poem’s opening lines: “I leave you my heart, here, in a clay flower pot.” Cool colors reflect the poem’s solemn opening as the speaker questions if the journey will bear fruit: “frost can be harsh, they say”

The poets words bring to life three mythological characters on the right: Anansi, a trickster from African myth, and the tragic Greek heroes Icarus with their wings and Sisyphus with their rock. These helpful allies on the journey dance in the tangle of flowers. Here, the speakers final wish comes true as the echo of the beating heart “causes you to tap your toes for a moment or two.”

This two-panel diptych was installed inside Egg Harbor Township High School in June 2024