“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
John Augustus Shedd
(1859 – unknown)
This painting was a lot of fun. I loved working on the shadows. And the rust. Looking at a close-up of a rusty ship isn’t common. And yet I think the painting captures the experience quite well.
I waited a long time before calling this painting “finished.” What was missing? The quote. Once I found that, I knew I could apply the text and call this one done.
I titled the painting “A Well-Lived Life” as a reminder to myself. To me, this ship has sailed the world and seen it all. The old gal has the battle scars to prove it, too.
And you know what? Those scars and that rust are what make her so lovely. I’m glad she left the harbor. At the end of my life, I hope I can claim to have done the same.