48x24x.5" Mixed Media on Wood Panel
"Red Money on Ice skates" — Artwork by Chile Thomas
Composition
Two large, bold silhouetted figures dominate the composition, rendered almost entirely in deep black against a dramatically atmospheric background. They stand close together, backs partially turned, creating a sense of secrecy, conspiracy, or guarded power.
The Figures
Left figure — seen mostly from behind, wearing a white/cream jacket with subtle collage detailing and a wide-brimmed fedora. The pale jacket against the dark body creates a striking tonal contrast.
Right figure — in profile, wearing a dark pinstripe suit and a bowler hat, with a white beard visible. His posture is upright, authoritative — suggesting old money, establishment, or institutional power.
Background & Ground
Upper zone — loose, gestural washes of turquoise, teal, and mint green, applied freely with drips and texture, giving an atmospheric, almost weathered quality
Lower zone — a blazing field of red and orange, raw and urgent, bleeding upward like fire or danger beneath their feet
Text & Symbols
Painted loosely in the lower right:
A blue £ (British pound) symbol
A black $ (dollar) symbol
The handwritten phrase "my money" in casual script
Interpretation
The two figures — one facing away, one in profile — evoke backroom dealings, financial gatekeeping, and the quiet machinery of wealth. The currency symbols and "my money" text make the subject explicit. The fiery red ground suggests urgency, danger, or the human cost burning beneath financial power structures.
It's Chile Thomas at his most cinematic — monumental, mysterious, and politically charged.