Babe I Thought…

I have moved a lot in my adult life, but moving to Akron, Ohio in August of 2019 was the first time I ever truly left anyone behind.  The devolution of our relationship happened over a long period of time in which I was in continuous denial, grasping and clawing for anything of his to hang on to.  And then it was over, I was 2000 miles away and free.  I hate that it took a drastic upheaval of my life for me to realize the relationship was not working, but so be it. 

Looking back through the lens of time and distance, I imagined a chain link fence. Being on opposite sides of a chain link fence is truly devastating.  I could see and hear him on the other side but we could not reach each other.  The figures in these woodcuts are trying to reach out, grasp onto something or are just too tired to fight anymore.  However, the plants caught in the fence are fighting to survive.  I like that these pieces can be seen as both heartbreaking and hopeful depending on the viewers’ experiences.  Does the broken chain link represent a break through of communication between the two parties or a breaking point in their relationship?  Or perhaps it is the hope I felt after, the answer changes even for me.