Beehive in oak tree, 2001

• Medium
  Acrylic on chipboard
• Dimensions
  47.8 × 63.8 cm

An old oak tree in my grandparents' yard in Dundaga, a painting in memory of my great-grandfather Fricis Jankevics who was a genius, he had a workshop next to this oak. My great-grandfather was a musician, artist, a poet, architect, carpenter and more, creating creative tools and art, always enjoying his great-grandchildren's presence.

When me and my brother Dainis visited him, he made potato pancakes, gave us a large chocolate bar in exchange for cherries and currants from his garden, taught us to make a wood whistle, and let us listen to foreign channels from his antique radio.

He gave us to listen... he took another portable radio and put it close to his heart, and we heard the music instantly become a static noise. He said, this is by a battery frequency interference with the radio waves, the battery in his chest that give his heart to beat. The battery-heart stopped on his 87th birthday in the middle of performing his beloved song. He was very creative, built homes, sculptures, violins, ethical music instrument kokle, games, fishing lures, and other inventions.