Inspirations

When I think of the artists, scientists and leaders who have inspired generations, a small list of faces appears in my mind's eye.  In anticipation of our final weeks of being in Fort McMurray, I ordered a number of gallery canvas prints of some of the portraits I have done of these luminary figures.  Four of these are being auctioned off today.

Dalai Lama

16" x 16", gallery canvas print

created on May 1, 2016

For anyone in Fort McMurray, that date will hit home.  That was the day the fire that eventually destroyed thousands of homes actually started.  We were in Birdsong Studio doing a workshop that afternoon.

I've always loved this portrait.  Its colours and the way he is suspended in the black makes it quite unique.

Albert Einstein

16" x 16", gallery canvas print

created on March 17, 2017

Probably the most recognized scientist of all time, Alberta Einstein is a joy to paint.  This famous moment captures his quirkiness and his sense of fun.

The Man in Black, Johnny Cash

16" x 16", gallery canvas print

created on May 15, 2018

I've always loved Johnny Cash, both as a singer and as a subject.  He has a face that tells a thousand stories.  This piece was created one year ago today, a fact that I never would have guessed, were it not for writing this blog post this morning.

Martin Luther King

16" x 16", gallery canvas print

created on May 16, 2018

I did my first portrait of Martin Luther King on paper many years ago.  It was gifted to my sister.  It was created around the quote: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Those words inspired me through the difficult periods of my life, personally and professional.  This portrait was done playing against my instincts.  In other words, I purposely disrupted my pattern by starting with unfamiliar colours.  I quite liked the result.

---

All of these gallery canvas prints are on auction today on my Russell Thomas Art Facebook page.  Click on the picture of the one that grabs your attention and place your bid as a comment.  The auction ends at 9 pm MST tonight (Wednesday, May 15).

Remember that you have the option to choose the BUY NOW price of $200.  This will automatically bring the auction to a close for that item AND get you a free upgrade to an EP (Embellished Print).

What is an EP?  Great question.  This is when I add embellishments to the gallery canvas print, highlighting certain colours and adding my EP mark (five white dots in a row somewhere on the canvas).  I also add the following:  1/1 EP, my signature, and the date the embellishments were done.  Years from now, should I ever become famous, your gallery canvas print will be very collectible, and perhaps, more valuable.