Zombies vs. Pirates: Line Up, Shake Hands, Good Game.

As a culture we walk a fine line. Struggling to balance the stresses in our lives. We battle between choosing sedentary diversions that allow us to hibernate and turn off our brains, and choosing activities that will enrich our lives. I began painting secluded, vacant, zombie-like figures; who had relaxed in their habits until they lost time. They anesthetized themselves and became sluggish, jaundiced, and so lacking muscle tone that they hung over their chairs and defied anatomy. These zombie figures, trapped in their rooms, are morphing into ornery, striped pirates; waking up on the wrong side of the bed. They are more alert, and as a result, more grumpy. Although still stuck in their chairs, going nowhere, they’re stirring and restless, foreshadowing future adventures. It’s well worth some pouting and furrowed brows to be certain that we don’t sleepwalk through our lives. It’s zombies vs. pirates and if I were you, I’d put my money on the pirates.
The most an artist can do is paint the things they know and hope other people see things from a new perspective. What I know is that if it were not for the act of painting, I would be lost to the inactive worlds I paint.



-Dara Engler, 2010