Original 11 x 14 Oil on Canvas
Signed Certificate of Authenticity
Hand framed in reclaimed wood
Ready to hang
Painted August 2020
Against the Grain Gallery was painted during the 2020 Paint the Point plein air event in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. It was my first time taking part in the event. More importantly, it was my first plein air event ever — and the first painting I had ever painted outdoors.
I was nervous, so I did what seemed sensible and went looking for something familiar: buildings. I didn’t exactly have to conduct an exhaustive search. Against the Grain Gallery was literally the first building I saw. Easel down. Decision made.
Once I started painting, I settled into it pretty quickly. People stopped to watch and chat while I worked, which turned out to be one of the best parts of painting outside. I pushed the contrast between the warm orange, red and ochre brickwork and the cool blue-teal trim of the storefront. The sky is loose and energetic, and the wonky rooflines and sloping street feel very Mineral Point — a town where perfectly straight seems to have been more of a suggestion than a rule.
The painting was hand framed in reclaimed wood, something I’ve used often in my work. I wrote more about why I like salvaged timber for frames in The Amish Walmart: Building Frames with Soul.
Original 11 x 14 Oil on Canvas
Signed Certificate of Authenticity
Hand framed in reclaimed wood
Ready to hang
Painted August 2020
Against the Grain Gallery was painted during the 2020 Paint the Point plein air event in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. It was my first time taking part in the event. More importantly, it was my first plein air event ever — and the first painting I had ever painted outdoors.
I was nervous, so I did what seemed sensible and went looking for something familiar: buildings. I didn’t exactly have to conduct an exhaustive search. Against the Grain Gallery was literally the first building I saw. Easel down. Decision made.
Once I started painting, I settled into it pretty quickly. People stopped to watch and chat while I worked, which turned out to be one of the best parts of painting outside. I pushed the contrast between the warm orange, red and ochre brickwork and the cool blue-teal trim of the storefront. The sky is loose and energetic, and the wonky rooflines and sloping street feel very Mineral Point — a town where perfectly straight seems to have been more of a suggestion than a rule.
The painting was hand framed in reclaimed wood, something I’ve used often in my work. I wrote more about why I like salvaged timber for frames in The Amish Walmart: Building Frames with Soul.