2000
Oil On Canvas Over Sculpted Foam
58 x 42 x 4 Inches
The pose for this painting was derived from a photograph by George Hurrel of John Barrymore .The great Barrymore was not acting the gangster nor did this photograph include the hat. I guess my childhood fantasies were kicking in again.if you can accept that a human figure is independent of everything, environmental archival, moral etc.[a lot to ask?]then your ability to free associate begins[such is the basis of imagination, surrealism ].The slight Contraposto of the torso,was slightly out of character for a tough guy.The cigarette,pin stripes, the plum of smoke from the cigarette crossed my minds eye before I began the picture. From the beginning I accepted that I was going to have fun ,no matter what the outcome. I feel some empathy for those that enjoy the cigarette .a ‘Lucky’or a ‘Pall Mall’was a usefull interesting prop, unfortunately it is being demoted to a symbol of rebellion.