TIME'S PASSING
As a native Californian, I really enjoy the change in seasons that I experience living in New England. There is even beauty to be found in the shadows of the leafless trees against the pale gray winter sky. When I finished this Portals painting in March of that year, however, I was definitely ready to start seeing more of the sun!
Additional images from TIME’S PASSING
Share your thoughts…
We’d love to hear your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, questions, etc!
Like what you see? Subscribe!
We’re posting art every day on Substack. Don’t want to miss anything? Subscribe to get a weekly email including a recap of daily art posts.
To receive every art post by email, you can opt-in by visiting your account and then clicking the toggle for Daily Art.
One thing that has intrigued me with respect to the Portal series (which is one of my personal favorites cause of the underlying themes) is the varying use of some of Michael’s recurring symbols.
In at least 2, symbols such as a heart (Flight of Discovery) and the sun (the one posted) are shown directly above the portal opening. In each case, those symbols are represented by metal which appears rusted or otherwise subject to the elements and appears to convey age. In several others, symbols such as the traditional red heart and ribbon and floating candle orb (Sanctuary) and the floating candle orb and the shell (Time and Tide). Some other s such as Warming Her Wings and Dawn Journey do not appear to contain any such metallic or traditional symbols. I have been unable to figure out the meaning. In the case of all of the series paintings, the key structure is shown as being in disrepair and quite old. So being related to ‘age’ doesn’t seem to be it. Perhaps there is no specific reason other than the artist’s state of mind at the time? I don’t think that is right though. There always seems to be a deliberate point, but I have not been able, thus far, to determine it! I will just keep enjoying the pictures though until I do. The closest thing I have come up with is that it takes ‘time’, sometimes a LOT of time, to get from where we are to where we want to be.
I do have one clarification question. Regarding the Portal painting Flight of Discovery. That is the stated title of the piece on the MW website. Yet on the back of the original, which I have, there are 2 different labels identifying the painting as Passage to Discovery. I was curious which title Michael intended for this painting?
We love this piece so much -- the stonework reminds us of Chaco Canyon and the skies are like a favorite rainy day in the Pacific NW. Thank you, Michael.