Fine Art
May 23, 2024
A couple of years ago, a lady where we practice approached me for a commission. She wanted to surprise her boyfriend Jason with a gift of a watercolour painting. It happens that she and Jason are avid fisher persons, spending their (recreation) leisure time together fly fishing for Trout.
The lady was not sure what she desired in the painting, would it include a stream with some mountains in the background and a pair of individuals angling? Would the painting be about the the fishing equipment like the rods, hooks, fishing lines and so forth? Since she had difficulty deciding, I volunteered to see what I could come up with.
Never having fished before, I was the proverbial fish out of the water. I did not know what it entailed! Did these fishers fish from a boat, from the shore? What were waders? So I had to learn all about fly fishing including different species of trout, their characteristics, their habitat, their colours, their feeding habits etc.
After a lot of research, thanks to Google, I learnt that trout that are in alpine lakes as in Alberta are more vividly coloured, they are usually found swimming in cool clear streams and lakes, feeding in shallow water.
With this knowledge I decided I was going to paint the fish in its natural habitat as it swam underwater. After several iterations, I came up with this painting of the Brook Trout.
Although the painting looked beautiful and colourful, I was not satisfied with it. To me the fish did not look very majestic and lovely. So I went back to my paints and brushes and came up with this. I called the painting, Brookie after the brook trout.
I almost always try to personalize a commissioned painting, Since this was a gift for Jason, I had to somehow indicate this on the painting in a most subtle way. Can you notice it?
If you did not, here it is traced in dark on the dorsal fin.
The lady was extremely happy with the painting. She got it framed and now has a special place in their hearts and their home.
Here it is all framed
It now hangs above the fireplace adorning their home
I hope you all enjoyed the ride as I painted this piece.
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Thank you for following.
Mohamed Hirji