The inspiration for this piece was to capture a player’s –in this case Josh Dennis—career in the progression of a single dodge. The painting technique meant to invoke movement, and be abstract enough for the non-literal nature of the work. The uniforms depicted connote years of practice, play, effort, but the entirety of the painting invokes the brevity of any sports career.The painting relies on images from the past, but in merging several past points, it attempts to move out of time.
Josh’s playing days ended too early (no MLL in those days, and a knee injury at Team USA try-outs), but even longevity in athletics is brief in a lifespan.
I used acrylic paint (I enjoy the colors and the clean-up), but experimented with some acrylic retarder and other mediums to extend the drying time and allow more blending on the canvas itself.
