RiTUAL. A ceremonial act ~ Rites used in the course of worship ~ The performance of ceremonial acts ~ The prescribed form of conducting the ceremony ~ A method of procedure that is followed without variation ~ performance with gestures, words, and objects, often in a sequestered place.
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I have lived next to a cemetery for nearly 30 years. It has come to be a place of comforting greenery in the middle of the city. And in recent years, I have been developing images. Some are drawn from My neighborhood cemetery and some from others. In our culture as we lay our deceased loved ones into the earth (which is a ritual unto itself), we often adorn the graves with statuary. And I have come to admire the statues. Some are grieving, bereft. Others are gently smiling, and some even scowl.So, I bring them to you in this book titled Vigil, for they stand over us through eternity.
I studied fine art at Kutztown University with additional studies at Barnstone Studios in Coplay, PA. I worked as a graphic designer for nearly 30 years as well as taking commissioned portraits and working as a courtroom illustrator.
I live next to a small historic cemetery and over become intrigued by it and cemeteries everywhere over the years. The older, the better! In this piece I was considering the rituals of funerals and the monuments built to keep watch over the dead. Some of the statues are beleagured with grief, bereft of hope, some are serene, while still others are impish children ready to charm you. But their commonality is that they stand vigil over us and accompany us into eternity.
