12x8 oil on panelAsk Tidewater Gallery about this painting.This is one of my all-time favorite paintings and I am surprised it hasn't yet found a home. I love to paint scenes from the subway. The lighting is so garish and weird. People seem to turn inward, staring into space or nodding off with the rhythm of the cars. Makes me want to paint some more...
14x11 oil on linenNow I don't know if the subway in NYC might be a train bound for glory, but this man who sat with his prayer rope while he rode certainly put me in mind of greater things. I wanted to paint some kind tribute to all those who carried on after the events of 9/11. The losses were dreadful, as are the material losses right now in my home state, but the way people respond and recover from such tragedies is remarkable. Its the spirit to move on, to help, to rebuild and resurrect that moves me.My title references any number of familiar gospel/folk songs. Here are some of the lyrics from one Randy Newman did, "Glory Train" - I see some hard times coming Fire and wind and rain Billions of people, all scared of each other Hearts full of envy and anger and pain There on the edge of darkness People come together again Standing on the platform Waiting for the glory train Get on the glory train Get on the glory train They'll be standing on the platform Waiting for the glory train Lift up your head and stand tall Let faith be your only guide With all that love inside you Salvation cannot be denied Just when the storm is breaking Just when no hope remains Rollin' into the station Here comes the glory train
8x6 oil on panel
Available at Loretta Goodwin Gallery next week.
I've been hard at work since my weekend getaway. I'm totally refocused on painting now. It was such a wonderfully relaxing break. No tv, no computers, no phones.... just nature, R&R, hiking and enjoying the company of my sig ots. Its always good to put things in perspective - it was much needed. So I am back and dedicated to painting and keeping myself relatively unplugged still. The computer can certainly eat up lots of time when one plays too much. I'm pushing my palette a little more this week. Trying to capture dramatic light, trying different scenes, playing with color and lightening up. In other words, having a ball!
7x5 oil on panel$100 + s/h - sold
I tried a couple of different things today and wiped them off. I think I was starting with something too ambitious after having been on hiatus. And while having limited time to work. My schedule couldn't be more full this week. I needed to pull back and just do something simple and allow myself to see and paint loosely. As a note, I often work from photos, but I squint quite a bit when looking at them and when looking at my painting. I'm going to be very wrinkly when I get old I think. There must be a better way!Disregard my gloved thumb in the lower section of the painting. Its late and I'm too lazy to edit it out.
11x14 oil on panelThis is a similar scene to one I did that just focused on the resting man. Once again, strange and somewhat eerie lighting and reflections make a neat study.I was reminded this weekend of another fun thing that people might do while riding mass transit... painting. I have a friend, Kathleen McElwaine, who paints fun little watercolors while riding the bus into Austin everyday. Check out her video on YouTube! We visited with her this weekend and my daughter was most impressed, and came home to begin making her own little watercolors!Check back for availability on this painting.
6x6 oil on panel
Available at Loretta Goodwin Gallery.
So I am still interested in studying the lighting and atmosphere of the subways. The people are pretty fascinating too. I love the idea of mass transit and I would def. use it if we had it here in Austin. Traffic is just frustrating, but on a train you can kick back and relax, read, listen to music, and people watch. My favorite pastime!Mass Transit
18x24 oil on linenCheck back for availability!