I had the good fortune to work for The Easton Press for whom I did a long list of classic frontispieces for limited edition leather bound gold leaf collector books of the greatest writers of our time. I believe I may have done art for at least 4 of Ernest Hemingway. One of them is a book of collected essays and reporting which the vertical portrait art here was included. The title is "By Line" Some stories are from Esquire, The Toronto Star and other "dispatches"
It was sold. $2,500.00 15x20 oil on canvas.
My favorites are stories of the 'Blue River' you know, the gulf stream. Those tales of being on the Pilar and chasing giant Marlin, Tuna and other dominant predators of the sea just get me enthusiastic about the ocean, boats, birds, fishing and all that lives there. As if I actually needed any more than what I wake up with on any given day. LOL!
Through my reading I got to experience the fluid narrative style of this man who lived life large. I have been and I still am inspired not only by his adventures but how he could write about it and take me, us, on the journey with him.
The top one is a sketch page from my studies. Watercolor and pencil on paper.The idea was some upland bird hunting, maybe Idaho. A coincidence that his son was Jack and my friend who was the model for the younger man is named Jack also. It was going to be a father and son piece. It might be a painting you will see here in the future.
More to come.....
All art copyright Alan Phillips 2015
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