DEAR SUMMER

Acrylic on canvas. Size 30"X40".

"DEAR SUMMER" IS MY ODE TO A TRUE "ICON". ORIGINALLY, THE DEFINITION OF ICON WAS IN REFERENCE TO JESUS, MOTHER MARY, OR OTHER PROPHETIC FIGURES FROM THE BIBLE. AS THE YEARS PROGRESSED, THE DEFINITION CHANGED. TO ME, THE SHIFT WAS FITTING BECAUSE POP CULTURE FIGURES HAVE BEEN PRAISED AND WORSHIPPED AS GODS. NO, THIS IS NOT BLASPHEMOUS OR INTENDED TO DISRESPECT YAHWEH BY ANY MEANS. MY DEPICTIONS OF ICONOGRAPHY ARE SIMPLY INTENDED TO MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PATH AND PURPOSE OF "THE CHOSEN". THERE ARE HARDSHIPS AND INCREDIBLE INTERNAL BATTLES ONE HAS TO FACE IN ORDER TO STEP INTO THEIR TRUE GLORY AND POWER AS EXPRESSIONS OF OUR CREATOR. I BELIEVE ROCK'N'ROLL HALL OF FAMERS AND THOSE ALIKE ARE FEARLESS, EXTRAORDINARY, AND IN MANY WAYS SUPERNATURAL LIKE CHRIST. - GRAY XCV