American Cowboy

Some images stay in the mind until they become paintings. My uncle was the inspiration. The cowboy, the horse, and the flag are who he is at his core, his essence. There was no other way to paint him.

This one started as a digital composite, which is often how I work through an idea before committing to canvas. When it wouldn't let me go, I painted it.

The photos here show the painting in progress, from the early block-in through to the finished surface.

Oil on canvas, 18 x 24, held in a private collection.