12 x16
Oil on Linen
SOLD
A few weeks ago I was on my way home back from Nags Head when I decided to take the old Manns Harbor bridge - the old two lane high rise that connected the North end of Roanoke Island with North Carolina's mainland before the new Virginia Dare Bridge was built several years ago that now connects to the central part of the island.
The old bridge allows the driver to see the old Manns Harbor boat ramp, Mashoes Point, the old Post Office and several boat building facilities. This particular day the sun was setting and casting long shadows behind warm bright West facing houses, beautiful live oaks, and other rusty coastal subjects - especially this old wooden boat sitting on blocks in a front yard just off of old 64. As I pulled in and began scanning the scene in front of some old houses providing the background, an older gentlemen stuck his head out of his door and gave me a rather suspicious look. Knowing what was coming, I made the first move and told him that I was admiring his old boat and was trying to figure out the best angle to paint it hoping that was okay. With a scratchy and raspy "high tide'r" drawl, he answered, "Go right ahead. She's in for a scrape or two. Then I'm gonna paint her one of these days".
