Vincent’s Fire

Oil and acrylic on canvas, 54 X 84 inches, 2005

Vincent’s Fire was begun as a compositional exercise related to another composition of two elderly men in which I was primarily concerned with balancing the positive and negative spaces and relating the figures to each other without their overlapping each other but still interlocking and relating to each other. The figure is the same man in two states: one contemplating his condition and abilities, and the other actualizing them and challenging the viewer to do likewise. I titled the painting after Vincent Van Gogh because of his inspirational attitude and drive, and because I love his emphatic use of discreet brushstrokes and brilliant use of color.