Mario and Cheryl's Hearth, Kareem's Seat is Mario's Mantel Portraits of Mario Pedro by Constance Brady

From the artist Constance Brady: Mario died when he 34 years old. I set out to paint 34 minutes a day for 34 days. I became concerned around day 15 or so. As the deadline encroached so did this sense of urgency to arrive at an image that would satisfy Mario's family. I felt the meta cognitive symbiosis of art making folding to this hindrance of a deadline. My wrestling with the image resembled a dampened version of the Kübler-Ross Stages of Grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Initially I denied the time limitation. My discontent resembled anger. I bargained in that I entertained shortcuts and compromise. I wrestled with a muted melancholy that attempted to suffocate vigor, and this simulated depression yielded to a bolder acceptance- that this image, while appearing unfinished, expresses a life cut short but profoundly fulfilled. My journey through these stages was humbly dwarfed in contrast to the dark night that Cheryl, Hakeem, and the rest of Mario's family endure as they process their loss. This experience woke me to the spirit of a man loved by many,that I've only met by way of painting his portrait.

From the curator: The first portrait that Connie painted was the second one seen here, the hearth. This is one of the few portraits created for the project without a likeness of the person but with an abundance of clues as to the effect of his life and of his loss. The hearth painting is very large and noticeably unfinished, as was Mario’s life. The mantel is filled with mementos from Mario’s life - a kind of altar. The huge clock dips into the picture - a dark reminder. The images fade to white as our gaze travels down the canvas. It is a meditative white space with barely perceptible images of other items in Mario’s home, ones that will no longer be touched by him physically. Connie created the second, very small and intimate realistic family portrait for the family, as well. Again she uses the composition to indicate the brief time we have with our loved ones on this earth. The images seem to slip off the edge.

Mario, Cheryl's Hearth, Kareem's Seat, is Mario's Mantel Portraits of Mario Pedro by Constance Brady oil on canvas 12” x 12” (Mario) ,40" x 30" (Cheryl’s Hearth, Kareem’s Seat is Mario’s Mantel) 2017