David Swartz

Acrylic on wood panel
18” x 24”

The quote “stay gold, Ponyboy” was a reference to the Robert Frost poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” telling Ponyboy to hold onto those golden qualities in himself. This piece also references the poem, but in a different way—by highlighting and embracing the fleeting nature of beauty.

As the seasons shift and the world changes, the sweetest moments of life seem to slip through our fingers. The process of learning to let them pass allows us to appreciate them all the more, letting those golden moments melt back into the mixture that made them.