Insulator with Railroad Hardware and Raven

Here is a rare red insulator my friend Paul bought in an antique shop in Bisbee, Arizona. While I was painting this piece (one of my demonstrations at Charlie's Club 25 Cafe Gallery) a gentleman offered an explanation for why insulators were made in different colors. Seems the telegraph people were trying to find the best way to keep bees and other insects from nesting inside them (a hazard to workers) so they tried different colors to raise the internal temperature. Indeed, many of the clear insulators in my collection have the remains of insect nests inside!

I found the spike next to the rail line in Whittier, AK, and the old bolt in a pile of hardware left over from someone's campfire. They had burned some railroad ties and these things were all over the place. That was near Seward, AK.

The raven was a gift from my friend Jessica, years ago. I like him a lot, and he turns up in a lot of my work. He is the ultimate observer, as Edgar Allen Poe knew so well. Ravens are smart, wary, and comical. I always figure they know stuff.

8" x 10" oil on linen panel

To purchase, contact 2 Friends Gallery
907 868 4648