Reliance vs. Shamrock III 1903

(Painting destroyed by David, story below at end.)

My watercolor above is reinterpretation of a historic black and white picture below depicting the famous Americas Cup race series including Reliance vs. Shamrock III in 1903 off of Long Island. A more detailed history of the event is described HERE including actual video of the race one start filmed by some guy named Thomas A. Edison! Reliance, along with many of the Americas’ cup contenders were built by Herreshoff Design in Bristol, RI, honored now by the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

The Process

After my painting was complete (above), an art tragedy struck. I began to ask and get recommendations from others for continued improvement, and further, I began to question some of my own decisions in the artistic process. I continued to make small adjustments to the painting to a point where I felt the focus or centroid the painting had changed from the parti upon which I built it. I tried to change it back, but didn’t love the painting anymore. It was compromised. The recommendation that I should have remembered from my mentors was sometimes you have to stop, that the painting is done.

I put it aside for about two months, took a break from painting, and then decided to move on from it. As I ripped the painting up, I did it with the newfound awareness that I needed to have more confidence in my own artistic vision, my own story, believe in it, believe in me, as I do my architecture.

I hope to be back to painting soon, and I seemingly have survived my first “art life crises”.