Due to the shown tragedy I don't want to say "nice" as I usual do. You display the tragedy very well, and the way you use the puppet is excellent. This is a very creative contribution.
Thanks! It was difficult for me to figure out how to balance the reality of something so horrible and wrong with the grace of art. But once I knew what I wanted to show, it was like my hands were guided.
Thank you. Making and posting this has also caused a lot of emotion for me. It's not a subject that's easily dealt with, so it's good to know that others think I did a good job.
Thank you. I was originally going to do something similar with a shield or sword, for a fallen soldier. But I felt that was in some way too cliche, so I went with a theme that was sort of "taboo" to discuss; something that we all know exists, and many (too many) have experienced, but that wasn't really talked about or acknowledged.
Death can be beautiful, poignant, or glorious, but it can also be ugly, gruesome, and evil. I tried to show the darker side of death, a side most (even all) of us don't want to think about or even accept. We all know death exists, and we all "know" that everyone, including ourselves, dies. But it always hits us hard when it happens. The greatest fear a human can have is fear of the unknown, and there is no greater unknown than death.
Thank you. This was a different challenge for me, because usually themes come to me as I'm playing, but with this I had an idea in mind and had to set it up so that it was both tasteful and respectful to those who've experienced loss, yet also conveying that feeling of pure despair and grief.
It's hard to put into words, but I feel this isn't a piece that will leave you feeling better for having seen it, and it certainly doesn't make me feel better for having made it. It's not meant to. It's supposed to make you think about things you don't want to think about, to make you feel the sorrow, to take a little bit of your soul away.
Sorry, I had to get a little philosophical. It's impossible to create something like this and not deeply connect to it.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that (I say "had", but it never really gets better, does it?). I cannot imagine a greater pain, and that's the reason I chose this theme, even though I knew it would be heartbreaking. My heart goes out to you and yours.
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Thanks to the Nexus, Excellentium, and napoleonofthestump for creating this event!
This information moved to a comment because I felt it was more appropriate down here than in the middle of the images.
Tragic, but beautifull
Such a great contribution Patrick. That shot of the doll in the grass by the grave is very powerful
Death can be beautiful, poignant, or glorious, but it can also be ugly, gruesome, and evil. I tried to show the darker side of death, a side most (even all) of us don't want to think about or even accept. We all know death exists, and we all "know" that everyone, including ourselves, dies. But it always hits us hard when it happens. The greatest fear a human can have is fear of the unknown, and there is no greater unknown than death.
It's hard to put into words, but I feel this isn't a piece that will leave you feeling better for having seen it, and it certainly doesn't make me feel better for having made it. It's not meant to. It's supposed to make you think about things you don't want to think about, to make you feel the sorrow, to take a little bit of your soul away.
Sorry, I had to get a little philosophical. It's impossible to create something like this and not deeply connect to it.