12x12x1" Oil on Wood Panel
Subject
A portrait of an older man wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and an open-collared white linen shirt. He has a warm, gentle smile and bright, engaging eyes that give the piece an immediate sense of personality and life. His face shows the weathering of age and experience.
Style & Technique
The paint application is thick and textured — heavily impastoed, especially in the background and hat, giving a tactile, almost sculptural quality
The brushwork is expressive and gestural, particularly in the vivid blue sky behind him
Facial features are rendered with a balance of realism and painterly abstraction — detailed enough to feel personal, loose enough to feel alive
The sky suggests influence from Post-Impressionism, reminiscent of Van Gogh's swirling, energetic skies
Color Palette
A striking contrast between the cobalt/cerulean blue sky with hints of white clouds and the warm earth tones of the subject's skin
The cream/straw tones of the hat and shirt frame the face beautifully
Overall Impression
The painting radiates warmth, dignity, and joy. It feels like a celebration of an everyday person — unpretentious yet painted with great care and affection. The vivid blue sky elevates the subject, giving him an almost heroic, luminous presence.