The painting is laced with rich meaning and I really look forward to seeing Bill's reaction. Here's some of the highlights to it's meaning.
Firstly, the perspective has been "bent" in order to create a suggested illusion of looking at the street scene through the curvature of the inside of a dream orb. The left area of the painting , with all it's "dream bubbles" vies for the viewer's attention. This is significant in that DREAMS themselves embody seeds of the future.
There is a small figure towards the left of the painting. This signifies Bill and the DDI (Downtown Durham Inc.) This figure is the only figure in the composition who is looking up. He is looking up actually into his own dream. His leg is outstretched as he takes a step, just as he has taken countless steps in rebuilding Durham. The figure next to him expresses a type of skepticism with his body language. This represents the uphill battles fought in urban renewal.
The scene is purposefully set in the dusk of day. This signifies the vibrancy of downtown Durham becoming so healthy that it is a bustling hub of activity even in the evenings. There is an elderly woman with a young girl in the lower right corner of the painting. They speak of the desire of former generations.
Throughout the painting, there are figures representing a wide range of ages who are enjoy in a thriving downtown area. The actual scene of the painting is translated from a photo of Main St., speaking of the centrality of Bill's commitment to the city of Durham and his leadership in rebuilding Durham.
It has been an honor to paint the dream of the man who represents such dedication, vision and determination to creating a dream for the entire city of Durham as Bill Kalkhof. Thank you, Bill, for being a Durham Dreams participant and allowing me tp paint your dream!
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