Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Neon Night



Neon Night
Acrylic

Artist:  Walt Wirfs
Acrylic
Size: 18" x 24"
 
Working with acrylics after years of working in oils was a challenge.  My goal was to capture the neon glow of a sign at night and felt that I could only do it with the transparency of acrylic paint.
 

The sign is one of Jacksonville's icons, located on California Street in the center of town. The tavern is always open and always hopping.  Jacksonville's historic committee bans the use of neon in the town  but this sign was "grand-fathered" in.  Originally Jacksonville was a gold town, and a hand-painted depiction of a prospector panning for gold along Daisy Creek was included in the sign.
SOLD
 
 The painting is currently on display in a private collection.