ORPHAN’S LAMENT

watercolor & ink | 12 in x 12 in | 2023

robbie basho said this:

my philosophy is quite simple:
soul first, technique later or
“better to drink wine from the hands
than water from a pretty cup.”
of course, the ultimate is wine from a pretty cup.
amen.
visions of the country by robbie basho is a haunting + meditative
album exploring spirituality, story, and the vastness of the american west.

released in 1978, the album has a folk influence, but cannot be definitively pinned to any one genre, due to basho's unique style of singing and instrumentals. this work is a reimagining of the cover, bsed solely on the music in the album.

when i heard sixth song on this record, orphan's lament,
how quickly tears rolled down my face surprised me,
and so did the feeling behind those tears.
i was stunned, yet felt Held -

that a song i’d never heard,
by a man i didn’t know existed,
could reach so deeply into my chest,
and so gently cradle my grief.