This painting is of a building on Main Street in Rising Sun, Indiana. The words on the side of it have been preserved to add to the history of the place. It is early evening. The streetlights have come on, illuminating the buildings and the street. Two cars are parked. Possibly their owners are inside closing their businesses for the evening.
Last summer my wife and I had the opportunity to travel down the east coast of the United States from Washington D.C. to Alabama. One place we especially loved was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I actually bought a boogie board and went surfing in the ocean. We ate dinners on the pier. Probably what we enjoyed the most was strolling hand-in-hand along the beach.
I’ve tried to portray that same feeling with this painting. You’ll notice atmospheric perspective. The people closest to us are drawn larger than those further away. Also you’ll see that detail is less apparent the further back the subject is. Notice the lady in the top left corner. You think you see her face, but there actually is none to see.
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I went to Georgia to visit my son. We had fun playing on the beach at Tybee Island. We ate at a great restaurant in Savannah. I really enjoyed walking through town. Savannah has town squares about every block or two. As we walked through one of them, I was intrigued by a violinist who was sitting on a park bench. I could tell he loved his music. I painted this in honor of my friend Hunter Haskell.
The picture has the violinist on a bench which is silhouetted against the bright background of sun on the grass behind him.
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My ancestors were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly referred to as “Mormons.” Mobs drove them from their homes in Ohio and Missouri, so they settled in a swamp on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. They drained the swamp and built a beautiful city they named “Nauvoo.” They built the Nauvoo Temple which overlooked the river. Eventually, mobs murdered their leader and drove the people from their homes. They fled to a new home in the west.
After they had gone, arsonists burned the insides of the temple, then a tornado blew it down.
About a hundred and fifty years later, the temple was rebuilt. Some of my children chose to be married there, and one of them requested I paint a picture of it for her home. Not only can she remember her wedding day, but her heritage as well.
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I’ve been stuck here in the house. We had a ton of snow yesterday and we can’t get out. I’ve been bored. I decided I needed to do something soon or I’d go crazy!
I set up my portable easel in front of the mirror over our dresser, then got a canvas, my pallette and brushes. I opened the blinds so the side of my face would be illuminated. Here is the result of my efforts after a few hours. Note the light and dark sides of my face. Also look for highlights in my eyes.
If you’re ever bored, try it.
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