Canvas 09/10/18
I Followed Them Home
I followed them…
“I hear the sound of the river in the distance, arriving there I see some small critters that resemble me. It’s like looking into a mirror… The small creature looks at me, our gazes lock before it turns around and runs back to the forest. I begin to follow.”
…through the deepest of woods…
“In the deep end of the forest stands tall a statue of an angel. It’s covered mostly in moss and vegetations. Is it part of something? I wonder why it is standing there in the first place.”
…the rainiest of days…
“Time passes, the rain continues to pour, soaking the forest…A special day came as the fog rolled in along with the cold wind that it brings along. I stand there with my red umbrella, staring into the river for a bit…I should find a shelter soon.”
…the oldest of memories…
“We used to go here when we were little. You still remember? How we pretended the shed was a castle. How we pretended the small bridge was a gate to another realm. How we both played by the river water. Memories do fade sometimes.”
…the strangest of terrains…
“The sound of the wind blowing into the shell of concrete that was once inhabited. Now, it’s just singing its woes and laments in a form of echoes. It feels… empty, silence caught on to me…Can’t help but feel sad…but the thoughts pass and once again, I move on.”
…the remotest of canals…
“I got a boat, I get on the boat and float away into the depths of the shell of a town. No soul, no one is around…but I drown these thoughts away and just follow the pathway until I reach a dead end.”
…through the darkest of crevices…
“After a tiresome travel making my way throughout the canyon, it’s going to be a bit before I can find myself ascending back to the surface again, though I enjoy looking at the intimidating tall gorges surrounding me. As it is getting cold, I stop myself and built a fire, decide that I would take a break for today, get a good night’s rest. Letting the sound of the night and the enjoyable crackling noises the fire makes soothe me to sleep.”
…the highest of mountains…
“The climb was difficult, making my way towards the rocky mountains so I could get the view of the mountain that I have been constantly seeing in the distance. The travel towards there took quite some time, there were hardships and I had a lot of thoughts that I should just give up and leave it be, but I shrug it off and continue on to climb and make my way there.”
…the bleakest of landscapes…
“A prosperous city, heavily industrialized. Multi-cultural. Very advanced and high tech… but when we discover that we do not need plants anymore, they begin ravaging the land and building even more… can’t help but feel like a new skyscraper got built every single day.”
…and the loneliest of thoughts…
“It’s raining for today, it never stopped. It seems like it’ll just get worse and worse. Every window is closed and making the sound of the rain completely muffled within. No lights. I brew myself a cup of tea and sit there, enjoying the atmosphere of it, the sound of the droplets of water hitting the window. I can’t think of anything more enjoyable than this kind of moment, it’s relaxing, tranquil. Yet the creeping feeling of loneliness crawls in me once more…but nothing that a tea can’t soothe away.”
– I followed them home.
I love this artist’s works because they take me on a journey. And with each piece, I don’t know where it will take me. Through mountain ranges or wild forests – the artist’s illustrations tug me from one place to another – almost like memories that spring up in one’s mind freely or that are brought on by complex emotions. But even though these journeys seem solitary, I know deep inside that I am following a trail that like-minded people have walked before me, and in the end – I don’t feel as lonely. My mind, in turn, calms and settles into a deep serenity – brought upon by the forests, and fields, and rivers. But then a piece may follow – one that juxtaposes the rest – a modern city – with its neon lights and its bleak terrains. Its LED billboards replacing the moon and sun, the stars… It makes me sad. It makes the artist sad. And as we wander under the cleansing rain – we contemplate. When will the next skyscraper be built? What forest will it consume? Am I alone troubled by these thoughts? Should I just give up? And then we drink a tea, or a coffee, or a hot cocoa. And we remember that, for now, these nature landscapes exist – to be painted, to be explored, to be cherished, and to be rebuilt.
-L.L.L.
The profile and gallery of the artist TomTC can be found by following this link. Highly recommend checking him out in your spare time!
(text in quotes taken from the descriptions accompanying the artist’s works on DeviantArt – written by the TomTC, slightly edited by L.L.L.)
The Junction Journal 