Four Tops

Four Tops | 72”x 30” | Oil on Canvas
 
As kids, me and the other boys in the neighborhood had fun playing with our tops; there were Johnny, David, Brooks and I. The top had to be held upside down, with the tip pointing up. When you jerked back at the end of your throw, the top would flip upright and hit the ground spinning. It was a challenge to get a tightly wound string, combined with a good hard throw, along with a perfectly timed pull-back, to get a Just right, smooth, long lasting spin.

In this painting, the top with the holes in it’s sides creates a whistling sound when its spinning. You can tell from the worn off paint that this one got played with a lot. The original painting was big enough that the strings were as big as ropes. I enjoy painting over-sized things with the wear and tear of human use evident. Just look at the nicks, dings, patina and worn off paint, pretty cool stuff.
 
"You should have the Art you Love."