Thursday, January 2, 2014

Past Reflections

It always amazes me at how fast time passes.  This is the start of 2014, and I remember clear as a bell, still writing "1976."   It's at this time of year, I reflect back on the year and past years, and am amazed at how far I've come. 



This painting is entitled "My Secret Spot." It initially was in memory of my Grandfather, who took me fishing  to many different lakes when I was younger.  It's funny now how after five years of my own father's passing, how much this painting reminds me of him.  It's a vivid memory, taking a boat to a small lake behind his house, going out on a summer's evening and casting the shoreline.  It would take us about two hours to row once around the lake.  It was a time of connection and talking about the days or week's events.  It's hard to capture a feeling on canvas, so this is more or less a frozen part of time that in my mind, connects both  the memory of my father and grandfather in one serene setting.

 In all my paintings, I usually have such a personal connection to them in different ways.  This painting took about three months to complete, because I would continually go back and rework the background and water areas, trying continually to remember what it was like when I was in the boat.  The water splashing against the shore, the occasional fish jumping, and the soft summer breeze blowing in the trees.  Then, out of nowhere, fish on!  And the excitement would start until we got it to the boat and on our stringer.  It's a moment frozen in time, and a memory I'll have forever.  Now I have the memory on canvas. 

No comments:

Post a Comment