Rope
Rope (2008)
23½×18 Pastel on Pastel Paper
Original is Sold
The handsome Cowboy wields his Rope with honed skill, the tightly woven braids becoming an extension of his sinewy forearms and powerful hands.
A cowboy with a lasso against a cloudy sky seemed simple enough to paint. There was no complicated background, just one lone figure, and not even much clothing. However, I did not anticipate the complexity and the tedium involved with rendering rope in pastel. I do much of the work with my fingers, but for this piece, I also needed to employ quite a bit of pencil work to achieve that textured, braided look. Usually, the areas that require such an intricate touch are small, whereas this rope just seemed to go on for miles.
