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Gosh, you guys, I am just totally overwhelmed by your comments!
Chris, to think that it reminds you of that song--those few words suggest so many emotions and images.
Chris and Janet, to say this painting is "heroic" makes me feel like a vessel though which something was expressed. It's kind of awesome. I feel you must be exaggerating. I KNOW you must be exaggerating!
Cindy, thank you so much for your incredibly generous words!
The father-son relationship in this painting is very special, I think. They tended to fall into the same position which seemed to describe the way they work in tandem. Both father and son are quiet men. The father is a highly skilled craftsman who impressed me right away 20-some years ago when he first did some plastering work for us. He had such an impressive work ethic and did everything with an artistic sensibility. His son started working for him when he was still a teenager and now does a lot of ornamental work while his father assists him, so I guess he is slowly taking over. I wanted to express this dynamic in the painting. The father and son look very different and act different in certain ways, but there seems to be this easy harmony when they work together that comes from the father understanding his role of bringing up a son and then encouraging him to become all he can be, even if he (the father) takes a back seat eventually. In a way, the father keeps his position of respect by doing this.
By the way, the son is also a visual artist (painter).
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