Tilting at Giants

 In "Tilting at Giants," the inaugural piece of my "Dreamscapes" series, I explore the poignant dance between aspiration and pragmatism/reality. Inspired by Cervantes' timeless tale, this painting depicts Don Quixote and Sancho Panza silhouetted against a textured, ethereal landscape. A treasured copy of Picasso’s Don Quixote still hang on my parents' wall, a constant companion that travelled throughout their lives with them, water stained from a leaking farm roof in the house we lived in when my dad built the boat.

This painting serves as a bridge between the tangible and the ethereal, connecting our everyday reality with the dreamscapes of our imagination.

For me, the windmill,  is a symbol of Quixote's misconstrued fears, and becomes a metaphor for our own internal battles. How often do we find ourselves tilting at giants of our own making – fears and anxieties magnified by our imaginations? 

The interplay of light and shadow in this artwork symbolizes the duality of our dreams and fears, suggesting that within every shadow lies the potential for illumination. Each brushstroke weaves together the threads of aspiration and desire, creating a rich tapestry that reflects the complexity of our inner landscapes. The dynamic movement between light and darkness in the painting mirrors our own struggles between hope and doubt, illustrating the constant dance of emotions we experience.

The colours, a blend of dreamlike hues and earthy tones, represent the terrain between fantasy and reality. The texture evokes the grit and determination required to pursue our dreams, even when they seem still to be fantasy.

Like Quixote, we may stumble and fall in our pursuit of grand ideals. But it is in the act of striving, of daring to dream beyond the confines of our everyday lives, that we truly discover ourselves. This painting invites you to embrace your own Quixotic spirit, to find the light within the shadows, and to strive to reach the balance between your own imagination and the reality that lies around you. Remember that even the most fantastical dreams can guide us to discover who we aspire to become.

Perhaps those windmills aren't giants at all, but rather opportunities to test our courage and resilience, to illuminate the path towards our authentic selves.

15cm x 26.5cm

Oil and pen on paper