Earliest open ever! I have been swamped, but am starting to find a rhythm to life after the lab. This week I built a pretty nice plant stand with cast iron pipe and some reclaimed oak boards. I'll take some pictures tomorrow. Also, I finished this painting a few days ago. It's the Eagle Harbor lighthouse on Lake Superior. My grandfather was stationed there in WWII.
Thanks. He was in the Coast Guard. I imagine it was mostly to protect shipping from weather more than the Nazis. I know he was involved in at least one major rescue when a freighter broke up. I wonder if they ever feared enemy infiltration of the Great Lakes.
The government had taken control of all shipping in the United States during the war and after. Food, resources and manufacturing moved in the great lakes was a humongous part of the after. Food shipments after the war prevented mass starvation. It was the greatest conversion of a capitalist economy into a control economy ever. It killed a lot of Naziz and Japanese. Great lakes shipping was a big part of the war effort. Gramps was a cog in the machine.
Love the painting. You seem to enjoy landscapes, which is awesome, but have you thought about doing some nature themed still life? Maybe a fallen leaf in a puddle or something. There's something about trying to recreate the little things in the world that can kind of get you feeling philosophical.
Thanks. I know what you are saying, but for some reason I'm not feeling the 'study' subject matter. I think it's because I am looking more to paint atmosphere than the objects themselves. I do want to try my hand at portraiture at some point, though. People have more than their features that need painting.