This is "Old Red". It's 24x30" and is painted in oils on a linen canvas. It's a larger version of a painting I did a few years ago. You can see the older version here.
This painting represents my effort to achieve almost everything I'm after in picture making; simple design, singular focus of subject matter, a poetic use of color, texture and a full tonal range. I use these technical aspects to try and instill mood and character. I try to say something. 'Ol Red is a nod towards the leatherneck, craggy old sea salts who spend their rugged lives on rocky ships.. They are wise from the hard won knowledge of a life at sea. They smoke, drink, swear, tell dirty jokes and throw punches...their skin cracks when they laugh and sing. They are loyal to a fault...They are the old man and the sea...They are colorful New Englanders with nicknames like 'Ol Red. The chipped paint, the worn and weathered surfaces..it's all in there.
4 comments:
I feel as if all my comments are going to read the same Todd, but this is beautiful yet again. Thanks for sharing it with us all.
love the notion of the old seadogs in New England...would love to visit there one day.
Hi April, I never tire of your ego stroking...LOL...tahnk you sincerely. Good to hear from you. New England is beautiful, particularly this time of year.
All my best to you,
Todd
Beautiful work and great sense of color and texture.
Hi Brian, great to hear from you and thanks for the comments. Really..thanks for mentioning the texture particularly. I worked hard to fill this piece with texture and not lose the unity of the overall piece at the same time.
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