Art Flashback Wednesday–“Airwave”

Flashback Wednesday : I've decided that each Wednesday morning, I'll feature and earlier work of mine in a post along with a few lines about the artwork's back story.

First up - "Airwave"


“Airwave” circa 2000 - 2005. Acrylic On Canvas, 36" x 36", Private Collector. ©Michael Sprouse All Rights Reserved

I've always had a soft spot for this work because it marked the start of a point in my painting process where I began to incorporate the title of the work as important element of the work itself. Prior to this, I titled most works rather organically based on whatever popped into my head after the work was completed.

The face in this painting was loosely modeled after a still from a WWII era film staring Sylvia Sidney. I can't recall the film, but I was taken with her expression in the still. I recall pondering over what I thought her character may have been doing in the photo.

And that's when suddenly I had a mental image of this woman listening to a broadcast from some underground German resistance radio station.

Just like a scene from one of those great WWII era films about resistance groups, I envisioned her and her team standing in an old battle bruised shed, gathered around a glowing radio intently listening to the crackling broadcast for the latest information and instructions.

I wanted to create an expression on her face of excitement and expectation as if she were listening to the words she had been waiting for. I added the distressed elements of the work to emphasize the underground, clandestine aspects of it all.

And that's how "Airwave" came into being.

By the way, like my work? Then, please stop by and ‘like” my Facebook Fan page.

Thank You Tom Tomorrow

Thank you Tom Tomorrow for your truth, your wit and keen insight and your acid-dripping sarcasm.

15 Scientology Revelations from Lawrence Wright’s ‘Going Clear’ - The Daily Beast

While I find most organized religions of the world ultimately nothing more than a roller-coaster ride of ever changing myths and laws used to empower those who practice them over those who don't, I frankly can't comprehend why anyone with even just a whisper of common sense want to be part of something so clearly deranged and so easily debunkable as Scientology.

This article, which references the new book by Lawrence Wright titled Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, is down-right shocking and almost too incredible to believe. In fact, I probabbly wouldn't believe the majority of it were it not for Scientology's completely loony history.

In the hard drive of my mind, it's going into the sub-directory labeled WTF.

15 Scientology Revelations from Lawrence Wright’s ‘Going Clear’ - The Daily Beast