It is with a heavy heart that I’ve discovered my tapestry painting “the fall of Dionysus” must be taken down due to complaints that it is “satanic”. I would like to publicly apologize for anyone who is offended by this piece, and also to state that never in my career would I intentionally insult or offend a religion or culture with my artwork. My intentions for this painting were strictly personal, dealing only with my abuse with alcohol that led me to a downward spiral that almost cost me everything, my friends, my family, my beautiful dear wife, and ultimately my own life. The figure of Dionysus falling is a self portrait, although dramatized, as all the other figures in the painting represent aspects of my psyche. The figures in the far upper right represents the conflict to reach for higher meaning in life, the scary looking dudes at the bottom represent the damage I’ve caused myself with delusions and negligence. In today’s society the Dionysus myth is illuminated as manly, tough, courageous, but alcohol abuse is anything but that. This painting was salvation for me, the emotional impact was almost devastating to relive all the horror I’ve put myself and others through. Please help me share this, so that maybe my community will better understand a perspective they hadn’t seen before. This painting was forged from love. Sorry again to those who were offended.
