Here is my first painting of the year, “Wishing for Better Times and Travel”. This painting is inspired by my time during the pandemic. I could not go to the gym so I would walk on Consitution Trail in Normal IL. My route would take me past the Bloomington/Normal Amtrak Train station and if I’m lucky I would watch the Texas Eagle Arrive and depart. I would just watch the passengers board and wish I would go with them. Plus at the time I really wanted to paint a steam engine so I based my steam locomotive on a Illinois Central Railroad 4-8-2 Mountain type locomotive, a type of locomotive I think past by Normal IL during the time of steam. Specially this prerved locomotive IC #2542 currently on display in McComb Mississippi: https://www.flickr.com/photos/17627398@N06/sets/72157644842512979/
The fantasy sequence I tried to render the scene as if it was a old photograph that had been colored. I’m open to critiques and feedback and I hope you enjoy it!
Andrew Clark Palmer 