Confluence, oil on panel, 16 x 20 inches
$1600 unframed
Available In Studio
 
This painting was inspired by a pair of red-tailed hawks, one light-colored and the other very dark, who routinely nested near my home for many years. Every now and again, I'd spy them roosting together, just like this, on an abandoned concrete wall that the city had turned into a street art gallery. The street art you see pictured in this piece is actual art that young artists created on that concrete wall. 
 
I started by applying several thinn layers of gesso on the panel, adding a little grit (sand) to the area that would become the concrete wall. I added some texture to it with a palette knife at the same time, then let the whole thing dry for a few days.
 
Next came layers of oil washes to make the concete look old and weathered. Then it was time to paint the hawks, one dark and one light, sitting together in amiable companionship. 
 
Next came the fun part: recreating some of the graffiti on the concrete. I picked and chose from what was really on site, and arranged them to bring more meaning to the painting. 
 
As I painted this piece, it held several layers of messages for me...what does it say to you?