I have to admit that I went for years unaware of this Spanish impressionist before an artist friend introduced me to a book of Joaquin Sorolla’s art. No mention was made of his stunning work in my art history books or courses. I suppose he was out of style in the 1960’s. I was astounded. His life-size beach scenes painted on the spot (as big as nine by ten feet!) are incredible. Last Christmas Ann gave me the beautiful new Sorolla book by his granddaughter Blanc-Pons Sorolla. Here are a few examples of his genius.

Joaquin Sorolla self portrait

Mother and child on the beach

Fisherman – detail

Fishing boat

Tuna fishermen

This painting is titled Fence which is the name of a pool which elicits special memories for my host at Kedgwick Lodge on the RestigoucheRiver in New Brunswick, Canada. You can see my posts from last August about Ann’s and my fishing for Atlantic salmon there. They include videos of Atlantic salmon being caught and lots of still photos. It was a terrific week. While I had been there twice before, this time I was there to research this particular painting. The best fishing is often when there is an overcast sky and even some drizzle. That proved to be the case last summer. I don’t do many commissions these days, but this was one I just couldn’t pass up.

It’s been awhile since I’ve had time to blog. But now that we’re past the holidays and the hunting seasons have closed, I resolve to do better.  Days in the field give me new ideas for paintings whether the hunting is productive or not.  Homeward, a 24” x 36” oil, is the first of three paintings I will exhibit in June at the Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in June. Solid, 17” x 14” oil, will be available at The Sportsman’s Gallery in Charleston, SC.