Showing  instances of finding the light "in the strangest of places" for this year's graphic was bewildering at first but once I began to paint Jerry's image who is, of course, the focus of our celebration, plenty of examples unfolded in an unstopable series of visuals. I don't know how obvious the song references will be to others, but I had fun watching them appear. My aim was to express the light not necessarily coming from but reflected through Jerry, understanding that the Source transcends the individual and it resides in each and everyone of us; it permeates the hills and the trees and the flowers waiting for us to catch a glimpse, if "we look at it right."  The crickets and cicadas resembling someone you know, glow from the light the fireflies emit during their mating rituals-- an expression of togetherness; the mist in the creek creeps up as strange fingers of light; the spiral love light from the stars turn up in nature above and below; the dancers emanate such loving energy that the apple tree bends its leaves to form a heart* and we identify the Garcia influence in all the music that flowed from his heart and his guitar then as it does now, alive and promising and growing to become something unique and creative. 

 

* The heart in the tree was not made up. It was visible in one of the photos from last year's album.