Day Fifty Seven - Michael Hind's Cross

Sunday 22nd March 2009

Thomas, the village carpenter, stands in the background after making a cross for Michael Hinds' burial that morning. Michael was fourteen. He died after falling from his bicycle in the dark and banging his head. His father looks on whilst Thomas' wife May etches in the name and dates with an old nail.

After May finished etching, I painted in the lettering, thinking about riding bikes, falling off, and surviving childhood.

At about the same time - though I didn't know it - my mother was taken to hospital, back in England, with a sudden, unexpected illness. We found out on tuesday morning that she died.