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About Flight:

Flight is a piece about memory and Reinvention.  Inspired by a visit to the Art Institute of Chicago, which houses some of Vincent Van Gogh’s most iconic works, I was compelled to honor his work, which collectively captured his experiences and memories as a young man in 19th century France.  It is well known that Van Gogh had an eccentric personality and that he suffered from recurrent episodes, ultimately resulting in him taking his own life.  Still, his ability to capture the beauty that surrounded him, even amidst his own darkness, is something I’ve drawn inspiration from throughout my life and artistic journey.

Experience and memory are something we of course all have, and I was compelled to articulate some of my own through Van Gogh’s visage and unique aesthetic. How do you capture that which is fading away?

The hummingbirds and colors represents how our memories lie deep within us, but they can be tapped and freed in dynamic ways which can transform and reinvent themselves into something new and inspiring. Looking back at a memory from a new perspective or different lenses can give these memories new lives. Each one can be transformed through reimagination. 

This idea of repurposing something old is even found in the hummingbirds themselves, which come from a dilapidated, antique bird guide I found at a flea market.  I also appreciate that hummingbirds are often seen as symbols of joy, freedom, and the ability to live freely in the present moment.  Some cultures also associate hummingbirds with strength, resilience, and the ability to navigate difficult times. 

From Miriam to Maria:
Thank you for purchasing Flight to live with you in your home. Flight is a very special piece to me because it is the piece that started my artistic journey. In early 2022 I was diagnosed with an illness that had a high possibility of memory loss.  “Flight” was the first piece I painted upon learning of this devastating diagnosis. I chose Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear” because to me it most captures his personal struggles of desperation. This piece was me grasping and trying to illustrate how I felt to have all the amazing experiences, beautiful people and connections fly away from my memory bank, never to return. Yet as I laid down each hummingbird collage and strips of paint samples onto the canvas, the piece itself revealed to me that the loss was not forever, instead transformed and reinvented into  new experiences, a new way of remembering, a reinvention or reframing of past experiences and stories, either by focusing on positive aspects, adding new details or even creating a new narrative altogether.

Artist Statement by Miriam Sweeney - 2025-04-19:

Drawing inspiration from city aerial views, my work explores the urban landscape that sits somewhere between order and chaos, structure and collapse, expression and control. Seen from above, its pieces emerged like a puzzle, each with its own personality. I paint playful, textured, curvilinear shapes to capture the city streets, its landmarks, the droning sounds of traffic, the chitter chatter of its cast of characters. I hope to evoke the feeling one gets when flying into a new place for the first time. When we try to take everything in, or reflect on the lasting impressions of authentic connections, special places, and their unique stories.