The Naked Silo

28" x 22", oil on canvas, 2011 After spending a few months at the beginning of 2011 painting 12 portraits of 16 local Prince Edward County farmers for my Field to Canvas series, I thought it'd be fun to close out the year with a portrait of myself --also since I reached a milestone of sorts in October (that is, turning 40). I sketched a bunch of different ideas of how to portray myself at this stage in my life and in my artistic career, but I decided to dispense with all the cutesy symbolism and iconography and bullshit and went for the most honest, unadorned portrayal possible. I had Krista take a picture of me just a couple of weeks after my birthday, shirtless and without my glasses, using the available light of our dining room window (with a big, blank canvas for some bounce on my opposite side). I played with the levels a bit in Photoshop to provide some more contrast, but pretty much painted what was there in the photo: wrinkles, squinty light-sensitive ey

24" x 36", oil on canvas, 2011, private collection For more information about Geri and John, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011,  private collection For more information about George, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

24" x 36", oil on canvas, 2011,  private collection For more information about Lukas, Back 40 Veg, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011, collection of the County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives * For more information about Ted, as well as details of this painting,  click here . *Brief story here at CountyLive .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011,  private collection For more information about Lino, Bethel Organics, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011 For more information about Erika, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

24" x 36", oil on canvas, 2011, private collection For more information about Tim & Vicki, Vickis Veggies, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011 For more information about John and his farm, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011, private collection For more information about the Taylors, Honey Wagon Farms , as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011, private collection For more information about Cody, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011, private collection For more information about Blaine, as well as details of this painting,  click here .

36" x 24", oil on canvas, 2011 Now that my Field to Canvas show at Angéline' s is over, I'll be posting full views of my farmer portraits –but this time in reverse alphabetical order. For more information about Bay and Gavin, Honey Pie Hives and Herbals, as well as details of this painting, click here .