Spray paint on 3/4 inch plywood
20 x 25 inches
2014
This painting was made using spray paint and hand cut stencils from an original drawing.
You can still see the open wood grain through the paint.
The inspiration for this came from the sheer number of Portland transplants from the Midwest (self included) and a love of fish. The two fish are balanced in the composition.
The larger blue fish is based on a Coho salmon, symbolizing the second half of my life, here in the Pacific Northwest. Coho are one of six species of salmon in Oregon. Seeing the annual migration from the ocean to their spawning streams is one of the most profound things I have ever witnessed.
The smaller orange fish is a bluegill, symbolizing the first half of my life in Wisconsin. Most kids with access to wild lakes and rivers in Wisconsin have caught a lot of bluegills using nothing but a worm on a hook and a bobber. Though small, they are gorgeous and are one of the best tasting fish I’ve ever eaten.