This work, along with Requiem, is the first painting to be inspired by the unexpected death of my friend Steve in 2017. In this piece, my figure is used as a symbol of Steve. The raw canvas pulled over my eyes denotes death. The ivy in my hands and around my neck is a nod to the bed of ivy that surrounds Steve’s grave, while to the viewer, it is not obvious the figure is strangling himself with the ivy or trying to pull it off of his neck. The struggle of the figure is presented to signify the mental struggle Steve was facing in the months leading up to his passing. Behind the figure, in a wash of yellow, the Rossetti poem, “When I’m Dead My Dearest” provides the structure of the composition. This piece, meant to be shown with Requiem, is from the perspective of Steve, as the poem is from the viewpoint of the deceased. -First place in Brevard College 2018 Juried Art Show.