 This particular painting is one of many paintings in a theme called The
Explosion of the Flamboyans. The Flamboyan is a tropical tree in Puerto
Rico. It has clusters of flowers in red orange, and yellow. Red is the
most abundant hue.
When life becomes hard and difficult, we as frail human beings, choose coping mechanisms to manage our pain. We may go into a state of denial, use alcohol or drugs to drown our feelings, behave in other destructive ways, or become depressed. We may also use our creative powers to work through our pain. For me A TIME TO HEAL is an explosion of emotion - - but a controlled explosion of leaves, pods, buds, and flowers that cascade from the physical explosion in an emotional catharsis that paves the way to healing. The idea for this special painting came from the events of 9/11. I had lived in New York City as a child with my parents a mile from the World Trade Center. I saw the towers being built. Their fall on 9/1 1 has been an emotional trauma for me which included a tremendous sense of loss and compassion for the victims and their families. Months after the incident painting this picture became A TIME TO HEAL for me. Alma Lugo |
