March 2012 "Taking Flight"

  Living on the coast of California I have  seen hang gliders going off the hills and cliffs along the coast for many years.  As I watch them, I am reminded of mans' continuing fascination with flight and the early drawings of Leonardo and others.  Some years ago I did a painting entitled  "Night Flying".  the painting pictured here is a split plane showing an image of a man in flight under an atmospheric sky at dusk.  Below, in the split plane you see references to early Leonardo drawings and the musings of the master; a reference to art history.

I have recently decided to revisit this theme in part because I do not believe it was ever fully realized before and I want to explore it further; and because of the many layered associations with man in flight.

In the painting below entitled "Above the Pacific Light" we see the lone hang glider floating easily above the fog drenched coast.  The late afternoon light streaming across the top of the fog and hills propels  us forward into the reflective light of the distant horizon. The painting is 48x48 oil on canvas.