Father's Day
"Father's Day" is a 32"X 40" mixed media drawing on two-ply rag board, and it is a turning point in the evolution of my work in that I'm really making a conscious effort to let the media remain true, to not overwork the surface.  The open expanse, I feel, heightens the emotional tension of the poses.  My attempt was to begin a dialogue between the vacant environment and the expectant poses of the sons; a hollow echo that tells the story.  What is the father offering his sons? Emptiness? Vacancy?  The answer isn't readily clear, I like allowing the viewer in to read the story. Drawing this was really fun for me.  I love the cadence of the colors and the variety of textures.  I remember this day, up in Flagstaff, it really was Father's day.   I'd gotten in the habit of taking my Dad with me around to various rodeos and exhibitions.  This day was much like the rest, though in hindsight there are never enough of them.
Longshadow Cafe pencil drawing 10" X 20"	Longshadow Cafe oil on canvas 20"X 40"
While attending the Art Center College I was able to attend a lecture given by Norman Rockwell.  What impressed me most about his working process was the fact that not only did he work from photographs, he did same size pencil drawings of the images he was considering as finished paintings.  These were as detailed and finished as his painting, looking like a black and white copy.       With that in mind it only seemed reasonable to work out the kinks of a composition before committing to the final brushstrokes.  The project above, "Longshadow Cafe" is an example of a pair of works on the same subject.  I often use this process to develop my paintings.  Usually the study is a bit smaller than the painting.