RAYNA DeHOOG - Prince
1958-2016"
"I was a teenager in the 80's,
so dancing to Purple Rain at
our high school dances and
playing the cassettes in my
"Ghetto Blaster" was just what
we did back then! Fast forward
to the shocking news of his
passing, and the shock and
sadness sets in, I wasnt sure
how to reconcile it. I mean
after all it was like he was one
of us. I knew I had to paint
him, and I researched a lot of
images but most pictures
showed him in all his showy
costume, and glamorous flare,
which is awesome but I felt like
with all the battles and
struggles he went through with
Warner I sort of saw him
feeling a bit like a "dancing
chicken". Just like the quote
"wanna know what I always
wondered? why didn't that
chicken just jump off the
stage?" I feel like he was
always in a state of trying to do
just that! That's how I finally
settled on this piece. Prince
pure and simple, no showy
glam, just him. I started
painting it the day after his
passing, once I started I began
to feel unwell but I couldn't
stop. I finished the painting on
the second day working 12
hours straight. I left the
finished painting taped to the
easel. On the 3rd day when I
walked into my art studio to
look at the painting it had
fallen off the easel face down
on the floor. I got to thinking
many believe the spirits of the
dead stay with those who
mourn them and may find it
difficult to complete their
spiritual journey until the
mourners let go. I just thought
it was an interesting sign if you
will, that he was truly gone and
passed through to the heavenly
realms. May his Royal
Purpleness rest in peace."
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