"Edge of Eternity, Western Estate View"

Working title: Curb Turtle (original anagram-based title) I typically inscribe titles on the reverse of my canvases; in this case the first state remained unmarked. Upon completing the second state, I finalized the title Edge of Eternity, Western Estate View. I signed the work R11–25, a studio notation marking the duration of its making.

Origin (circa 2010). This painting began around 2010, the year I opened my first gallery, The Art Station. While curating shows I sought prolific, under‑recognized artists—people with fifty or more ready‑to‑hang works—an objective that proved rarer than expected. Amid that search I encountered a locally prominent, academically trained artist whose gatekeeping posture crystallized my resolve to trust intuition, craft, and heart over credentials.

Concept & first state. As a starting gesture, I wrote that individual’s first name across the upper half of the canvas and the last name across the lower half, then submerged those letters in paint, turning them into structure rather than text. From that armature the composition emerged, and I titled the work Curb Turtle—an anagram that transformed a name into a new meaning. The piece became, for me, a meditation on perseverance, humility, and creative independence.

Provenance. The work exhibited soon after completion and sold to local collectors at an accessible price—something I often do when patrons truly love a piece. Roughly thirteen years later, after the collectors downsized their home, the painting was brought to the studio of my friend Roy Woods, a remarkable painter with six decades of practice, who safeguarded it and alerted me.

Condition & stewardship. The canvas itself was sound: a hand‑stretched support on a solid stretcher, multiple coats of hand‑applied gesso—materials prepared to last. Although other works from the same owners had clearly suffered from poor storage (surface debris, lint, and general neglect), this piece had no tears or structural damage. The experience reaffirmed a hard lesson: undervaluing art often invites careless stewardship.

Re‑entry & second state. I lightly sanded and refined the surface, then re‑entered the painting—clarifying passages, deepening glazes, and integrating new marks with what was already strong. In effect, the work has been "painted twice": the second pass informed by 13–14 additional years of experience. The result is a richer, more cohesive painting that, to my eye, finally resolves the composition I envisioned at the start.

Viewing notes. This is a large, immersive work that rewards sustained looking. Its layered construction encourages the eye to travel—finding rhythms, edges, and quiet transitions that unfold over time. It is, now, the finished version of the idea that first took shape years ago—a piece meant for long contemplation.

Collector highlights — Edge of Eternity, Western Estate View

• Pivotal genesis (2010): began during the opening year of The Art Station and marks a mature shift in my practice toward architectonic clarity and long-form development.

• Painted twice (second state): originally completed and later re-entered after 13–14 years—careful sanding, glazing, and integration of new passages to resolve the composition.

• Provenance with story: exhibited and first sold to local collectors; later returned via a colleague’s studio (Roy Woods) and conserved/refined by the artist—adding depth and narrative value.

• Archival build: hand-stretched canvas with multiple coats of hand-applied gesso—prepared for longevity and stability.

• Title & signature: first shown as “Curb Turtle”; finalized as Edge of Eternity, Western Estate View and signed “R11–25,” denoting the span of its making.

• Immersive viewing: layered construction and measured edges reward prolonged looking—calm, contemplative presence with quiet visual pathways.

• One-of-one: unique oil painting; created to be lived with, not reproduced, and to reward sustained engagement.