Cold Day, Hot Box

12″X13 1/2″  Watercolor on Arches 300lb paper

SOLD

“I believe that if it were left to most artists to choose their own labels, most would choose none.”  -Ben Shahn, 1898-1969

Those of you who have been longtime followers of this blog probably know I don’t like being pigeon-holed as any particular type of artist. I really don’t like labels. Labels are things that art directors and critics use to justify their means. Labels are often divisive and counter intuitive. I prefer to follow my heart on any given day and create meaningful work that touches something inside me (and hopefully you), whatever it may be. It may be a caricature one day, or a cubistic, colorful watercolor the next.  Some days I wake up and all I want to paint are trains. I love trains, but I’m not comfortable with being called a “train” artist. It’s too limiting. I love horses, but I don’t want to be called a “horse” artist. Some days I want to go deeper, down to the ground floor of my soul and let something flow from that well, something so abstract that even I can’t get a hold on it. It’s all about who I am. We, as creative individuals all have multiple layers, years and years of life piled up on us and we all express how we feel about those layers and years in different ways. In my opinion, labels only hinder that process.

Here is my latest watercolor. It was inspired by a black and white photo by Louis D. Rubin, Jr., a wonderful photographer of the steam era.  It’s a small piece about a common occurrence in railroading, a “hot box”. A hot box is caused by a wheel journal box at the end of an axle getting too hot due to lack of lubrication and can actually catch fire due to the wheel friction. Railroaders must be vigilante of these issues with their trains for safety reasons. The main challenge in this piece was trying to get the feel of a cold, blustery day somewhere on the New York Central in the 1940s. I love working the wet into wet technique with a spray bottle to get steam and smoke effects. Spraying water on the paper and flowing color into it is thrilling. Trying to control and manipulate that color is the challenge. Skies are so much easier with that method. Allow water to do what it was meant to do with watercolor. Working in layer upon layer of washes will give you a rich piece that will have depth and life. Watercolor is a powerful medium and can elicit deep emotions and send your mind in search of the reasons a cold, cloudy day in New York can touch you so deeply. It certainly does mine.  -Enjoy!