24x48 inches
acrylic, watercolor paper, kraft paper on stained maple panel
$2900

The Jobs of Yesteryear series combines history and surrealism to tell the stories of obsolete jobs. A contemporary glimpse into the past, these mixed media paintings serve as a reminder of a time and stories long forgotten.

This particular Job of Yesteryear mixed media painting features axmen. Back in the 1850’s lumberjacks began to harvest the giant redwoods of Northwestern California to supply the raw materials needed to house all of the 49ers heading west to strike it rich. Two-man crosscut saws and axes were the most efficient means to fell these massive trees. The advent of the chainsaw in the early 20th century led to much more efficient logging and crosscut saws were largely made obsolete by the 1950s. In 1968 Congress created the Redwood National Park to protect the remaining 10 percent of the original redwood stands left after heavy logging. Interestingly enough, the first chainsaw was invented in 1830 by a German surgeon who used the small device to cut bone.

The Axmen was created with acrylic paint. The long-limbed character was cut from paper and collaged with kraft paper. The Jobs of Yesteryear are thought-provoking conversation pieces that will bring an air of history and whimsy to any room.