This painting has Richard's grandfather's woodworking tools - dividers, chisels in a canvas and 2 wooden mallets. His grandfather was a master carpenter and built furniture using only hand tools. Richard learned woodworking with by his grandfather's side. He followed his own artistic path becoming a painter, but is a "Chip off the old Block."


Also notice in the log, there is an "eagle" shape in the dark part of the wood. Richard pulled this log out of the desert. Our landscapers were at the house and cut this piece off the log using a chain saw. The eagle was revealed at this point and Richard knew he would be painting an eagle piece. It turns out this a piece of Ironwood. Ironwood is extremely dense, hard wood, and the chain saw barely made the cut, smoking like crazy. Richard found the ironwood carved eagle in an antique store, and the piece came together. Also, balance is a common theme in Richard's work. Notice where the small drawing is placed, as if it is balancing on the mallet.