In his essay, The Decay of Lying (1889), Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) wrote: “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life,” adding “the self-conscious aim of life is to find expression, and art offers it certain beautiful forms through which it may release that energy.”
Take the case of a mural on Main Street, Vacaville, the work of Cheyenne Renee Marcus. The artist, based in Covington, Va., painted the mural in 2022 with plans to paint 50 murals in 50 states. All in small towns. (See the Vacaville project on YouTube)
Her mural shows a young girl in a billowing blue dress blowing the seeds off a dandelion--perhaps she's making a wish?--while a flameskimmer dragonfly zigzags away.
The dragonfly is firecracker red, in sharp contrast to the light blue dress.
The mural is located at 444 Main St.-- actually in the alley--on the wall of a building now occupied by a wine bar, Main Grape.
One thing's for sure, that flameskimmer is a main attraction. On a cold, wintry day, it's a burst of joy and spirit, much like the little girl blowing the seeds off a dandelion, destination unchartered, but the making of a promise.
Attached Images:
Virginia-based artist Cheyenne Renee Marcus painted this mural at the corner of Main and Elizabeth streets, Vacaville, in 2022. It's a main attraction. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of an artist rendition (by Cheyenne Renee Marcus) of a flameskimmer dragonfly in downtown Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata, in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)