The American Breakfast (global warming style.)

The American Breakfast (global warming style.)
0il, 36x36” 2007 Scott Cahaly

I really enjoyed this painting and worked on it diligently. I felt my foot floored on the gas petal with this one. The imagery evolved as usual, the idea of a breakfast scene on a stove top just arose. I've been enjoying breakfast lately, with great coffee beans, delicious Trader Joe's bread, eggs, etc. It seemed convenient for me to paint a quick globe as I have painted the planet oodles of times in the past two years. I just placed the earth onto a pot on the stove over hot coils. Immediately I imagined smokestacks coming out of the United States on the North American Continent with smoke billowing out all over the painting. To fill out the outer portion of the painting, the American Flag showed up, a peace dove, the twin towers and the statue of Liberty. It seemed very foreign trying to paint such realistic subjects for the first time in a long time, but knowing the painting was Manhattan bound, it somehow seemed appropriate. If you follow the flag up and around the painting it ends up or begins in the smokestacks, sort of saying that we "America" are the polluters via smoke or flag! There are alot of symbolic messages happening, the Trade Centers for one which were destroyed at breakfast time! The Statue of Liberty and her torch up in the air almost burning the American Flag. The coffee being poured into a mug on the stars and stripe is a clear reference to breakfast and politics. The toast popping up high into the painting almost mimicking the airplanes and peace dove. There is much secondary imagery happening leading the viewers eye around the composition. The red of the flag which circles around the composition is complementary contrasted by the green center breakfast scene.
This is not only a clear political statement but marks my growth as an artist after ten years of painting. This is the first work I have completed which is rooted in the world. Almost everything I have created up to this point has originated in my subconscious with either references to abstract imagery or other artists work from the past. This painting marks a new direction and philosophy for what will follow it.
This painting is going to the Protest Gallery 511 W.20th st. New York . The opening will be Saturday night the 24th of March. The show will run through the beginning of May. -Scott.