6x24 inches
acrylic, watercolor paper, kraft paper on stained maple panel
$525

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 miner. Coal mining dates back nearly 2,000 years, when the Romans mined surface deposits in Roman Britain, and since then, it has played a vital role in the worldwide expansion of industry and commerce. The Industrial Revolution was based on the availability of coal to power steam engines. All of this progress and industry has been carried on the back of the lowly coal miner. Until the invention of electric and hydraulic mining tools in the late 19th century, coal was mined underground using a pick and a shovel in intensely dangerous conditions. The first cap lamps worn by miners used an oil wick. The open flame produced by these lamps was an obvious unsafe practice and was eventually replaced by bonneted, carbide, and electric mine lamps.

The Miner VI was created with acrylic paint, and 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.