Reflections on the Rio Grande (near Alamosa, Colorado)

My boss, Jim Seaberg, commissioned me to paint this scene of his father fishing on the Rio Grande near Alamosa, Colorado. His father loves to flyfish but has not been able to do it much lately because of his failing health. Jim provided me with a home video of a couple of different fishing trips that he had taken with his dad so that I could get the feel of the area, his dad's mannerisms, etc. It was a real challenge, but I had a lot of fun developing this piece.

Some of the thoughts and feelings that I tried to portray:

He is perhaps seeing the river for the last time and has just entered the water …
He is pondering how best to fish the runs ahead and how to best fish this run ...
I love the contrast of the glow of light vs. the deep shadows.
The reflections are a big part of this composition as well ... memories.

Enjoy ...

Acrylic on canvas 36" x 24"