In between working on pet portrait commissions, I continue to work on my vintage series of old Americana neon signs.
I’ve been working on this vintage neon sign series since 2020. The initial muse had been old, worn out signs, the remains of a bygone era, juxtaposed against a dramatic sky. As I would plan each composition in the series, I began to focus more on lighting. A lit sign at dusk, a storm coming in, etc. The focus shifted to the lighting. I was letting go of concrete reference imagery in lieu of using my imagination.
With this painting, and my imagination running wild, I was drawn to the idea of a lit sign at sunset. I wanted to frame the sign with storm clouds with a brilliant sunset on the horizon. I wanted to capture a specific moment in time.
The sign could be a sign of hope for a bleary-eyed traveller, someone looking to escape the coming storm. A beacon of hope amid the gloom fast approaching.
The artist, Nathan Rhoads with the original painting, October 2022.
So without further ado, I wish to present my latest painting in my Vintage Series…
Storm in Reno, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 in. Original and prints available for purchase.
