Reluctant Pilgrim, 2025

9" x 12" Watercolor on Paper; unframed.

In Reluctant Pilgrim, a dog-like creature advances hesitantly across an empty plain, its body pierced and tethered to a massive human face it carries like a living reliquary. The face appears weary yet resigned, bound to the animal by cords that suggest obligation rather than choice. The image evokes themes of duty, inherited belief, and the burden of conscience—where forward motion is compelled, not freely chosen. The painting captures the uneasy tension between faith and doubt, portraying pilgrimage as endurance rather than devotion.