Look back or look ahead,
up close or from a distance,
it’s balance that we want
to give us our resistance
to unfinishedness of life —
there’s always something more
we could have done or should do;
it’s the Expectation War.
There’s ballast in the look back
at what’s already done
as we teeter on the edge
of what we’ve just begun.
An update from Bill (to posts 10/21, 23, 27) with more background on the mural. The shop behind the wall sells chrome wheels and tires, and it is the owner of this shop who had seen Dathan’s murals and commissioned one for his wall. Dathan took the wheel as his inspiration for the design. The close-up of the open door shows the merchandise in the shop, and it also shows the challenge going forward. Originally the mural was to be to the door, on a relatively smooth surface, but now he’s extended it and therefore must negotiate a totally different canvas of metal panels. Does he look ahead in trepidation and see how much he still has to do, or does he look back in satisfaction and derive energy from what he’s already done? Does the artist’s eye see something finished that might have been done better and ask himself if it’s really finished? Is this life or what?
More thanks to photographer S.W. Berg,
and to artist Dathan Kane.
Oddments 
November 5, 2022 at 11:07 am
OK, so frog and cow are definitely out. Projects of mine that have been extended beyond their initial plan have gone from simple to daunting. That’s just me. Maybe Dathan will be able to roll with it (sorry).
November 5, 2022 at 11:21 am
Groan. To my eye, Dathan is definitely going from the simple to the daunting. I hasten to add “simple” is relative; nothing he’s doing would be simple for me, but painting over those panels? No way. Yes, neither cow nor frog — except, of course, in the eye of the beholder, along with the puce.
November 5, 2022 at 12:55 pm
Haha – let’s not forget the puce.
November 5, 2022 at 11:38 am
“And now you know the rest of the story.” Fits perfectly! 🙂
November 5, 2022 at 12:02 pm
I had to look that up! I do remember the name Paul Harvey, but that sign-off rang no bells for me. Thanks for the memory prod. You are so right that it fits perfectly!
November 5, 2022 at 12:22 pm
“ And now you know the rest of the story”. Thanks Judy. That takes me way back. I can almost hear Paul Harvey!
For me, this project would be daunting. But it is apparent that for Mr. Kane it’s a challenge that he is more than capable of mastering. Just look at the results already! Amazing!
I hope your local newspaper becomes aware of this mural-in-progress and does an article on the talented and gifted Dathan Kane.
Ginger
November 5, 2022 at 12:42 pm
I agree, Ginger — I hope the artist is getting some local attention. I should think that people are noticing his work; it’s hard to miss! For me too the project would be daunting. There’s no way I could do such a thing.
November 5, 2022 at 2:31 pm
In my mind, the artist is enjoying the creative process as it happens, rather than looking back or agonize over what’s left to be done. I’m convince that each day of creativity is satisfying. (And no doubt he enjoys compliments from passers by who love what he is creating).
November 5, 2022 at 2:49 pm
That’s certainly a possibility: that creativity is its own present, that past and future are irrelevant. I hope you’re right that the artist gets encouragement from the people who pass by.
November 8, 2022 at 5:15 pm
The circles or wheels traveling all along the wall are delightful to view. I also like the simplicity of the color, it does not distract from the simple shape and the complexity of design.
November 8, 2022 at 8:51 pm
I like that: simple shape/complexity of design. You’re right: there is both simplicity and complexity in this. It’s been most interesting to watch it progress.
November 9, 2022 at 1:54 pm
I think the artist will be glad to have more space to cover, for covering’s their thing but not everywhere will lend itself to it. You’ve reminded me that in my neighbourhood, more people than you’d think paint a building upwards until the paint runs out. I think it’s a secret club. The 95%ers or something such.
November 9, 2022 at 5:56 pm
Though I admit I cringed just a little bit at the image, I also laughed. The 95%ers, eh? They probably don’t have the messy collection of partly-filled paint cans that I have. Covering is apparently not everyone’s thing!