One
bitterly cold January day in 2006, I admired this late afternoon view looking
across the
Delaware River
. My family and I were visiting
Philadelphia
to celebrate our son’s 14th birthday. As we stood together huddled against
the cold I thought to myself, “I’ve got to paint this.”
The
battleship
New Jersey
dominates the entire image primarily because of its central location, but that
is not the only reason. The steely gray river gives an unobstructed view, and
the dynamic glowing sky almost forms a nimbus around this great ship. From this
perspective the
New Jersey
is remote but awe inspiring. As WWII veterans pass away at an ever increasing
rate, we realize that our parents and grandparents lived through momentous
times. Americans must have felt the same way towards their Civil War veterans at
the turn of the twentieth century. This painting is a love letter to our past
generations, and their great efforts both in war and in peace.
