WAITING FOR ORPHEUS 50×60″ acrylic on canvas 1998
Orpheus was the god of music and the arts in the Greek Pantheon, who married Eurydice
only to have her stolen by Hades and taken to the underworld. The scene here is
an imperfect man with offerings of a goose and a glass of golden elixer (scotch). The
goose wears the Caduceus, the symbol of medicine. The other “waiters” for Orpheus
return are two puppets and a bluejay. The sacred circle of the manhole surrounded
by poles with attached “Clooties” and four sacred stones gives seriousness to their
vigil.
James H. Vredevoogd holds a BA from Michigan State University and an MFA in painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art. His paintings are in the permanent collections of two museums, two universities, and various private collections. An Emeritus professor of Art at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, he taught painting, drawing, and performance Art for thirty-two years.