Alter by Boots Quimby

24"x30" acrylics on canvas
 
Alter explores the space between remembrance and release. Inspired by the traditions of creating altars to honor those who have died, the piece brings together a candle, flowers, and four phases of the moon suspended above it. The moons suggest loved ones who are no longer physically present, yet remain connected to us through memory, love, and the cycles of nature. The rich blues evoke the quiet mystery of night, while the colorful flowers represent the beauty, fragility, and continuation of life. The title, Alter, plays on the word altar—a place of ritual and remembrance—while also suggesting transformation and change. For me, death is not simply an ending, but an alteration of our relationship with those we have lost: they leave the physical world, but continue to occupy a place within us.