This artwork was revised three times before the definitive version was completed in March 2022 and titled "It's Complicated". It's a story of family life, relationships, and infidelity.
It was first conceived and titled "Oil Spill" in December 2019 from the artist's memory of his dream from the night after. A scene he vividly remembered of a woman bathing in a pond laden with oil spill. It was a gross feeling for him because Milo cares about the environment, so he fears the ill effects of oil spill in any body of water. He wanted to make a statement about it by painting the idea from his dream.
He started initially with an oil painting and mixed it with enamel by dipping the canvas in a water filled wood container, soaked the whole painting, and lifted it to dry. He however wasn't satisfied with the outcome and decided to further, revise it the second time with an all-oil paint overlay, changed the picture into a more friendly environment surrounded with clean water, foggy misty air and lined with tree branches and leaves. He titled it "I Saw Her" maintaining the vivid memory he saw from his dream.
While he digested and appreciated the wholesome version for months, he changed it again the third time and started sandpapering the surface and worked around his final version by creating a story about gender, relationship, family issues. Milo had been a survivor and saw many stories of broken relationships and how they affected the lives of many victims and survivors. He wanted to send a message about the importance of living well despite many differences and struggles within families. You must be strong and prepared to face the consequences of our actions. So, Milo feels that this story brings more meaning to how we can cope to deal family issues and love, respect and believing in something spiritual can make us all a better person. In the end, Milo was able to paint the three phases of what is important to humankind. A filthy environment, a clean and healthy one and about family survival.
The three-revision concept and process on this painting showed traces of heavy layered mix media, enamel paint from the water dipped process and layers of oil on the final finishing surface. Milo also revised the landscape and added three figurative subjects illustrating a story about life.
