Sunshine of the Black Bull
by Steven McCabe
I began this painting over a decade ago as a gift for somebody who had changed my life. And then the situation imploded. The implosion had been coming, like a not-silent comet, for a long time. What I had thought I wanted I didn’t. And then I had no choice in the matter. It was, as these things go, all for the best. I finally finished the painting this past year.
‘Sunshine of the Black Bull‘ – 2011 & 2023, acrylic on canvas, 30″ X 22.”
poemimage 
Wow, Steve, you are so talented! Several profound images and yet they cry out in subtlety. You gave me an idea – I’ll post some of my mediocre attempts at art on my site. Nothing there to compare with your work, it’s all amateurish, but who cares?
Thank you Mike. Very much appreciated. ‘Cry out in subtlety…’ is an interesting dynamic. And as for posting your images – that’s a good idea – go for it! It’s amazing how we stretch our parameters and then, miraculously, ‘fill’ them. Best wishes!
Beautiful. I love the way the images flow together so seamlessly and take their time revealing themselves.
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Thank you Jeanie and thank you for your viewing. I looked at it again, at negative and positive space and how the images might ‘suggest,’ and thought of what you said. It adds depth to think of an artwork taking its time to reveal. Like night becoming morning within time. Or progressing to a realization within images. This is a new idea to me.
Isn’t it wonderful how some things are meant to show themselves – when they are ready, when you are ready.
Lovely painting, as always.
Hi Teri, and thank you. I will concur it is a delight when such a thing happens even if getting there is a difficult process. Though, as Vonnegut might say, ‘So it goes.’ 🙂 Now you have me thinking of building blocks, and how efforts lead to invisible structures that manifest when they are ready. Maybe that process prepares one to also be ready. Thank you for setting this off.
Yes I know what you mean. It’s all part of the journey, quite reassuring I suppose. Everything is significant.
Maybe ‘one’ stumbles about, though in dialogue with some deeper or greater source whether one knows it or not. Like water beneath the ground, beneath ‘one’s’ feet. To be measured in the words of and experiences of others.
The ‘water’ beneath ‘one’s’ feet, and ‘Stumbling within that greater source,’
We know more than we realise, striving to express the elusive, to capture it in art and / or poetry. Your work shows your journey.
Thank you for all this. ‘Stumbling within that greater source…’ is a great image. Reminds me, somewhat, of one of my favourite scenes in Cocteau’s ‘Orphee’ – a bit haunting – of the glazier in the underworld, down ‘In the great mystery.’ The mystery, too, in de Chirico’s courtyards and shadows evokes some sort of ‘discovery’ & you know, I can’t think of anything more opposite to the prevailing postmodernist ethos or technological narrative than the idea of mystery and ‘the elusive’ being deep within ourselves. Maybe Merlin has a portent for where this is all going. 🙂
Magnificent piece of art, my friend !
Thank you Ronald! Great to hear from you. Hope you are doing more of those amazing sketches these days!
yes Steven, I haven’t been posting anything for a while, but I have an excuse. I was busy working on a series of paintings, which I’m not going to post (I don’t know exactly why)
or at least not yet.
One of these days, I’m going to resume posting these sketches I neglected for a while,
and since obviously we are on the same wavelength, we’ll keep on following each other with interest !
Hi Ronald, Yes sometimes it is good to ‘sit’ on things for a while…many possible reasons….I’ll look forward to what’s next.