"Redfish"

Oil on panel - 6" x 6"

I once reluctantly went ocean fishing with some friends while vacationing on the Outer Banks. We cast our nets upon the waters for hours but the bounty of the sea eluded us but for one poor red drum. He was unceremoniously thrown into a cooler full of ice on board to be filleted later. I would periodically open the lid and gaze at this poor creature. His eyes were larger than mine. He beckoned me to let him go. If it had been up to me I would have set him free but my crewmates would have keelhauled me on the spot. I have an aquarium in my studio so I have a soft spot for our finned friends. That said, he was delicious, so he did not die in vain. I was struck by the variety of colors on these 3 redfish. The cadmium red eyes of these little guys reminded me of that fateful day on “the minnow.”