40. Cody's Catch, 18 x 24, oil on canvas, 2010

Cody's Catch by Bob Bickers, 18 x 24, oil on canvas, 2010

I begin this New Year by wrapping up a bit of business from 2010.  At right is an oil painting commissioned last year, Cody's Catch, 18 x 24, oil on canvas, 2010.  The person who commissioned the painting had accompanied Cody and his father on a fishing trip to a remote area of Canada a few years ago.  While there, Cody had caught a huge Northern Pike with an ordinary fishing line.  He struggled with it for a long time before bringing the exhausted fish to his kayak.  Unfortunately, the fish got away before any pictures could be taken, thus the desire to forever re-create the moment in oil.  I used photos of Cody taken on the trip, as well as pictures of the lake and I pulled reference photos off the internet ont he fish and the type of kayak Cody was using.  I then had my daughter pose for Cody's body holding a fishing rod and kneeling in a sled.  Eventually it all came together for a complete painting.  I have a page on my website showing the steps I took in creating this painting here.

I had a good time working on this painting and I hope to get more commissioins this year.  Meanwhile, I plan to post each new painting I do right here on this blog.  Most will be a bit smaller than this one, and each will be for sale.

A couple of years ago I tried to post a new painting every week, but stumbled a few months in as I got involved in other matters.  I am going to try to do the same again, although I may need to post one of my photographs once in a while.  I am hoping 2011 will be the start of a wonderful new decade of art!  As always, click on the image to enlarge.