6x24 inches | ready to hang
acrylic, watercolor paper, kraft paper on stained maple panel
$495

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 wood gatherer. Since the discovery of fire in God-knows-when, humans have been tasked with gathering wood to keep the fire burning. This job is a persistent chore performed by men, women, and children throughout history, as they collectively work hard to stay warm and keep the embers hot. Wood gathering serves as an acknowledgment of the mundane tasks that connect modern humans to our prehistoric ancestors. Wood for heat was eventually supplanted by coal and then electricity, which was brought to households with wires powered by the burning of that same coal in massive power plants.

The Wood Gatherer 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.