The Idea
While growing up in Arizona, the phrase "don't go off half-cocked" (in reference to old-timey firearms) was fairly common. It means: don't do something without thinking it through. Usually it's reference to a person about to do something stupid.
I was in rooster-painting mood, and decided to make "Half-cocked" literal. Cock is another name for a male rooster, but it has fallen out of favor particularly in the U.S. due to, well, it's more famous "other" meaning. So from this point on, I'll stick with rooster.
I deliberately kept the rooster's "insides" flat, plastic-like. I didn't want the focus to be blood and guts. I went with a daytime, pastoral setting with bright, happy colors as a juxtaposition to the freaked-out (understandably so), neutral-colored rooster.
My original idea just had the rooster with some clouds in the background. BORING. That wouldn't do. I then added an ax over the rooster, but I really didn't want to focus on the act of hacking a rooster. So, I gave it a bit of a break, and re-thought through the whole approach. A fews days later, butterflies took form to show that good can come from adversity (sorry rooster).
The Process
Flintlocks, Matchlocks, and a bit of a history lesson.
Go Off Half-Cocked: Say What?
This expression dates back to the 1800's. It refers to a flintlock or matchlock firearm going off prematurely when it was still in the half-cocked position.
Why White Butterflies?
Butterflies are often a symbol of transition, and the color white often symbolizes goodness. I added just a touch of pale pink and orange to the white to give a slightly more etherial look.
A Vegan Walks into a Bar
I recently showed "Half-cocked" at Saint Rocke for a "Women in the Arts" showcase in art and music. A young man was looking at this painting for quite some time. Finally he asked if the painting was about veganism, as he was working towards becoming a vegan and could relate. While "Half-cocked" is not specifically about veganism, I did love his interpretation.
At Saint Rocke Women in the Arts Showcase in Art and Music