The boiler cleaner,

8 x 10
oil sketch on board

Frank is my barber and recently when getting a haircut, I noticed a copy of a photo sitting in the barber chair next to me.

The photo of his father in-law showed a charismatic looking man, who seemed full of life and Frank described him as a rugged man, who made a living cleaning power plant boilers. Cleaning boilers just sounds like tough work and I think that toughness came through in the look of the man.

I was especially struck by his appearance and rugged features, like his crooked nose and crumpled hat. Frank explained at age 70, the boiler cleaner could walk on his hands, no easy feet, and the kind of thing that I think, helps describe his character and strength very well.

This is one of those paintings you just have to make, mostly, driven by the character of the subject matter. My primary goal is to make a painted image on a larger scale the tells more of his story, for now though, the oil sketch helps me understand the man a little more and starts the process of investigation.

Hope you enjoy the painting