"Heart of Oak"
Oil on canvas
Today, as I paint this tiger, my thoughts go to that little boy, barely born, who is at this very moment undergoing open-heart surgery on the other side of the Atlantic. I cannot help but see him as a small tiger fighting for his life.
When I paint, my thoughts and the moments I am living become forever bound to each brushstroke. It is as though I were pinning small moments of life to the canvas, and together they form a larger pattern that makes sense.
This charging Bengal tiger — fixed gaze, unshakeable stride — became, without my deciding it, the portrait of a force both raw and fragile. The force that moves forward when everyone else is afraid. His paws raising the dust, his golden eyes that do not blink: it is the same energy as that small fighter on his operating table.
'Heart of Oak' — it is what we say of someone who does not bend. This little man and his first great battle will be forever bound to this painting, as we all pray for him and his family. His name is Oakland Sledge.
I — Original Work
"Heart of Oak"
Original work sold — Private Collection
Would you like to commission an original painting on the same theme? Submit your project →
II — Canvas Editions
Numbered art print, hand-signed by the artist. On 375 gsm matte canvas. Comes with a certificate of authenticity and the artist's double signature.
Shipping: rolled in a tube or framed ready to hang.
