"The Devil Inside; Ode to Michael Hutchinson"

Semi Abstract INXS

When I was a kid, the band INXS became well known right around the time I turned 14 or 15. I took to their music, their debut album and subsequential albums. I lived in Augusta, Georgia at the time and was just starting high school.

When they released the album "Kick" they went on a world tour. I was fortunate enough to get to see them on that tour. If I'm not mistaken, Ziggy Marley opened for them in Columbia, South Carolina. My older sister Maryanne took me, and a friend is about all I can remember about the concert.

I remember it was a cool thing to wear the concert T-shirt to school the next day. It's funny how I remember that more so than the experience of the concert, I guess that's another discussion for when we meet in person.

 Anyway, this was a collaboration started on a visit from a friend named Thomas Roman. Probably one of, if not the smartest human being I've ever met in person. The guys a genius, and has the potential to be one of the best artists that ever lived. He's an engineer and used to visit regularly and we would paint together.

He would work on his piece, and I would work on my piece, and we would always have a collaboration going during his visit. This was left about 50% finished after one of his visits. There was a giant demonic, or spiritual looking face in the center of the piece that I ended up working out over the next few months.

 The title is in reference to the horrible death that Michael Hutchinson's died in his struggle with mental health. From what I read he hung himself or was found dead in that manner. Michael Hutchinson's was the lead singer of the band INXS, and his hair was beautiful. This painting is an Ode, elevated from prose to paint, dedicated to him and his art.