THREE GENERATIONS
2007
19” X 25”
Pastel on sand coated paper

This pastel drawing was commissioned by a family who wished to preserve the close bond between these three generations. The grandfather has roamed the woods of Copiah County, Mississippi, for ninety years and has all the stories to prove it. The son is a retired commercial pilot and jack of all trades. The grandson now lives on the old farm with his grandfather, each looking after the other.

My pastel technique is to take the deeper tones and build the base of the drawing, developing a weight or stable substance to the work. One must work through the stages and early on the process is filled with labor and discouragement and frustration. Only then can and will the highlights and midtones work, revealing the life in the work - the blood flowing through the generations if you will. Indeed, in this drawing, the building of the pastel is much like the building of the relationships; dark and muted and not so pretty at times on the underside. Such is life. But it is necessary to reach the beauty of the later product. The closeness and fellowship and bond hopefully comes through in the portrait. When it’s genuine, it has a chance to be more than just a pretty or interesting picture.