One of my buddies played in a rock band that dressed up for Halloween in 2013 for a show and donned a bobcat skin as a hat. After coming out of my "False Perceptions" series about unique individuals, my brain was still turned to finding interesting props and suitable models. I promptly asked if he would be interested in meeting up so I could take some photos for a new piece. I was so excited he accepted because I couldn't stop thinking about painting that bobcat skin. I was then working on a few pieces I called "Conversations After a Drink," the sequel to these paintings that explored the notion of getting to know someone after making those quick judgments that are so easy to make. So I had him make a drink and dress up for me. Thanks, Dillon!
At the time I had just graduated with a fine art degree and wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do with my life, so I moved in with my dad and lived and worked out in this space next to his garage. He lived out in the middle of nowhere on some property. It was one of the most inspiring and productive places I've worked even if I did most of my painting on the floor in the living space.
This painting stayed with me for awhile. It moved with me to my next studio at my workplace (RSVPaint, one of those paint party places) and also got to hang it with some of my other portraits in the same vein in their gallery.
It now resides at the same local taphouse that "Harvard Graduate" (the painting I shared yesterday) is displayed. It certainly gets a lot of attention, and I love receiving photos of people with it. I even received an MS Paint version of it from a taphouse patron last year. So fun and flattering!
