Day Laborer - Coosa Valley, Alabama

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Day Laborer - Coosa Valley, Alabama  9x12  Oils on Masonite Panel

I saw a photo similar to this in the National Archives website that "told me" that I needed to make this painting . I got this far in about three or four hours over two days.

I might make a larger version if the mood strikes me.

The white rectangle on the side of the building is (should be) a sign of some sort. The space needed something and a window near the stairs didn't make sense to me.  AND I need to straighten the "sign".  :-)  Perspective, perspective perspective.  Sort of like gravity - it doesn't stop.

If you see yourself or your work and you do not want it to be here, please send me an email and I will remove the post.

May 3, 2010 - updated photo.

I think that I improved the perspective on the notice but the printing leaves something to work on - in another time.

I'm beginning to like this painting!

Two Dollars An Hour

Two Dollars An Hour 24x30 Oil on masonite.

5/1/2009 - - Photo of the painting was updated I can't seem to get the painting in focus!!!!
5/3/2009 - - Photo of the painting was updated
5/8/2009 - - corrected the title 2 dollars an HOUR, not 2 dollars a day.

I'm done with this - just a few thing that I needed to "fix" e.g. their feet/shoes for one thing. See the April 20 post to see two preliminary sketches.

All in all I'm satisfied with this piece. The idea came from a photo in the National Archives. The folks in the photo hoed sugar beets in fields sunup to sundown for two dollars an hour.

Now I'm in one of those "be careful what you wish for" situations - sort of similar to a dog chasing a car. Now that you have it, what are you going to do with it? :-)

5/1/2009 - As two of my friends pointed out, the feet of the person to the viewers left needed "fixing" so I tried to get that done. I'm going to stare at the painting for a while making a list of things that I think need tweaking. Then I'll study that list and decide which "fixes", if any, will be done.

5/3/2009 - I fiddled with a couple of things. The "major" change was adding color to the shirt of the third guy from the right. I'm pondering (big word) whether or not to suggest trees and/or buildings in the far background.

5/8/2009 - Original photo by Bill Gilette, near Fort Collins, Colorado, June 1972. National Archives, Records of the Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.archives.gov/press/press-kits/way-we-worked/way-we-worked-photos.html

Sketch #2 for "Two Dollars A Day"

Two Dollars A Day #2 8x10 Oil on masonite

This is my second try at water soluble oils and another quick study for a 24x30 painting of field hands hoeing sugar beets for two dollars a day - hence the title.

I moved the person on the right a little closer to the rest of the folks and reversed the person on the left.

I think that I like this composition more better. I'll work on their clothes in the larger painting - I'll do it with "real" oil paints! :-) I don't like this "pretend" oil paint very much.