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This birthday card, which is for Thor, will take some time to explain. The first time I met Thor, I liked him instantly. The meeting was of course preceeded by family anicdotes about his globe hopping antics. None of that mattered as much as that first measure of him. Yes I was impressed with the fact that he spoke several languages,with his math prowess and his musical acumen. But with that first measure, I said "Well, here is a guy that has done some work on himself".
As time went on, I noticed that he practiced his mission. What I also found remarkable about Thor was that everyone wanted a piece of him. He would blow into town, often unnannouced, like a midnight whirlwind. He would spin us around with his energy and just as suddenly would vanish off to India or Berlin. He and my eldest daughter, Jess who is just six days older than he, are cut from the same cloth. The intensity of their lives is enormous.
Now, Thors birthday card.
I typically start these compositions with the background first, as if it were a symnbolic stage. I have thousands of photos on my computer, and am adding hundreds each week. And even though they are organized in titled files, it doesn't matter that much. I still have to search for the right one for the subject.
When we visited Rome a couple of years ago, we visited the Pantheon,a building which could be a couple of thousand years old. It hosts an oculus in the center of its dome. Basically a twenty two foot hole in it's roof, which is open to the rain and sunshine. These elements can fall unhindered through the vast space to the floor below. Oculus also carries the connotation of, 'eye' of the gods.
In my original photo, light shines through the eye and and illuminates the textured side of the dome like a spot light or a beam of light on the wall of the retina. This illumination I wanted for the card. Second I found the sun of Nice, the first 100 prime numbers, and an image of Thor at Pepe's and Meme's house. Thor is rubbing his nose which was broken for him in a brawl. I placed all that behind the eye of the hole. Inside the dome, a shadow of Thor's head in the spot light. (this took two hours)
Then a couple of giant soap bubbles from Angie and Wes' going away party for us. Appropriately yet unintentionally they turned into party balloons. And I swear to you that it came around full circle. Because, because, Originally the reason that I took the picture of the Pantheon was not because of history, but rather because a childs helium filled ballon had gotten away and floated to the top of the dome, and became stuck in the texture. I thought at the time it was just another photo of irony. Have you ever made bread from scratch? Happy Birthday Thor.
Kent