24×48 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 a deep sea diver. Free diving for food or resources such as pearls and coral dates back to 4500 BCE. Since then, our ability to survive below the surface radically evolved with many technological leaps along the way. One of the earliest types of equipment for underwater exploration was the diving bell, which evolved into surface supplied diving helmets attached to a waterproof suit in the early 19th century. They were supplied with compressed air by manually operated pumps and made underwater projects much more practical. Many developments followed, including the futuristic atmospheric diving suits. Another major leap came in the form of the Aqua-Lung invented by two Frenchmen in 1943 as the first open-circuit SCUBA system to reach worldwide and commercial success.

The Deep Sea Divers 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.