Nostalgia

nos•tal•gia
noun \nä-ˈstal-jə, nə- also nō-; nə-ˈstäl-\
: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one’s life, to one’s home or homeland, or to one’s family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the past.

I think we’ve all experienced nostalgia at one point or another – we hear a song and remember our youth, see a picture and are instantly transported back to a different time, usually (although not always) remembering those times as better, gentler, kinder.

Although often bittersweet, nostalgia counteracts loneliness, boredom and even anxiety. It is a reminder that life has roots and continuity, providing strength to keep moving forward.

A Girl and Her Dog
2014

This painting, A Girl and Her Dog, is a commissioned piece, based on one woman’s memories of her childhood home. Growing up in a log cabin in Canada, she remembered vividly an old wagon, a ‘29 Chevy, her dog and the beautiful Northern lights. For her, this piece is a reminder of her youth, a time when things may have seemed simpler, a time long past.

I’m happy to say that she loves the painting and the nostalgia it evokes.

The Intruder

I had a good time painting this, as I wondered just who the intruder really is. Is it the car, the buffalo, the dog, the boy or all of them?

What is the boy worried about… the car that obviously is not his own, but that he’s apparently allowed to drive, his faithful companion, the dog or his own safety?

We see a car broken down from running through the stream (wet spark plugs?) and the boy in front, perhaps cranking the motor, when the buffalo arrives.

The dog is attempting to protect the boy, while the boy doesn’t know what to do and just wants both the dog and the buffalo to cool it. What happens next is anyone’s guess.

The Intruder
Gale F. Trapp, 2013
Acrylic on board 12×16