Painting Rich old Wood on an Ironclad, my latest series!
This painting was my obsession for a few weeks: I loved the surreal surroundings as we walked around the resting place of the U.S.S. Cairo in Vicksburg last year. I wanted to zoom in and focus on the beautiful wood and the dreamy blues and greens bouncing around as well.
It's actually for sale on ebay right now, I thought I'd pay attention to my old ebay store: click here to see it.
The subject itself seemed surreal to me, too: the ironclad was thought impossibly strong and unsinkable in its time, but I guess like all technologies, it had its time, and its time passed. That was the reason for the title "Outliving Ironclad Promises." So it's sitting in a quiet grassy field, with some of the battle sites nearby. None of the drama, the blood, the fear and the anger of that time is left, only worm-eaten wood and curious history buffs. I found the light and the strange situation irresistable as a painter!
During the Civil War the Cairo was one of the Union's hopes for securing areas along the Mississippi, but it was brought down by rebel soldiers who planted explosives along the bank. An unceremonious end: no deaths, no dramatic battle, just an end to the unrealistic dream accompanying a new technology. I find a lesson here, but I don't know what it is!
Some of the timbers at the site are new: the boat was raised, lovingly propped up, preserved, and encased in new wood which supports and rebuilds its massive structure. All of the iron is rusted away, but cannons still protrude from their slots.
My husband infuriated me by noting that the presence of guns and a flag should make this a popular painting, so I added the text at the bottom: "Ironclad Promises", which I hope asks questions rather than posing an answer. I'm neither a pacifist nor a luddite, but I do enjoy the quiet setting, complete with bird song and wafting breezes, which brings a sense of context and perspective to this once mighty gunboat.
Enjoy!
It's actually for sale on ebay right now, I thought I'd pay attention to my old ebay store: click here to see it.
The subject itself seemed surreal to me, too: the ironclad was thought impossibly strong and unsinkable in its time, but I guess like all technologies, it had its time, and its time passed. That was the reason for the title "Outliving Ironclad Promises." So it's sitting in a quiet grassy field, with some of the battle sites nearby. None of the drama, the blood, the fear and the anger of that time is left, only worm-eaten wood and curious history buffs. I found the light and the strange situation irresistable as a painter!
During the Civil War the Cairo was one of the Union's hopes for securing areas along the Mississippi, but it was brought down by rebel soldiers who planted explosives along the bank. An unceremonious end: no deaths, no dramatic battle, just an end to the unrealistic dream accompanying a new technology. I find a lesson here, but I don't know what it is!
Some of the timbers at the site are new: the boat was raised, lovingly propped up, preserved, and encased in new wood which supports and rebuilds its massive structure. All of the iron is rusted away, but cannons still protrude from their slots.
My husband infuriated me by noting that the presence of guns and a flag should make this a popular painting, so I added the text at the bottom: "Ironclad Promises", which I hope asks questions rather than posing an answer. I'm neither a pacifist nor a luddite, but I do enjoy the quiet setting, complete with bird song and wafting breezes, which brings a sense of context and perspective to this once mighty gunboat.
Enjoy!
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If you'd like to see more about my art, you can go to susankennedy.com, and if you want to see all of my ebay items and etsy items for sale, click here (for my art on ebay) and here (for my art on etsy)
Thanks!
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