Acrylic on Canvas

I've never been entirely happy with this piece, and yet it remains one of my favorites. I never quite managed to capture the surreal, sun-drenched look I was going for.

I grew up in the foothills of the Appalachians and spent many a summer afternoon swimming the frigid waters of the local creeks. A favorite swimming hole was a place called Playmore Beach high up in the hills on John's River. Playmore was particularly interesting for the ruins of an old dam washed away in the legendary 1940 flood.

My nephew Kerry was in his early teens when I took the photos that inspired the painting. He and the old dam are the only elements that actually exist. In many ways this painting was an excruciating challenge. I struggled with the foliage and the water, trying to get the light right, and never did. Yet I threw myself at it with an obsessive fervor that was rare for me. You see, I was inspired by the art of Eyvind Earle — and learned that I was not Eyvand Earle. I guess a littte humility never hurt anybody.

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All original images ©1970-2011 by Greg A. West. All rights reserved. Trademarks shown in examples and on the Links page are the property of their respective owners and are not available for reproduction.