Dancing in a Thermal

Oil on canvas, 60 x 84 in. $6,000 -- Available

My husband and I are both advanced hang glider pilots. But he is also a tandem hang gliding instructor and takes people for flying. Sometimes we fly in his tandem hang glider and go cross country for several hours, sometimes soaring over 12,000 ft MSL under cloud base. This painting is based on a view above the Columbia River during a tandem hang glider flight from Chelan, WA, with him. I usually take photos while he flies the glider. I missed our major cross country season this summer due to my art show schedule, etc., but our spirit was with the fellow pilots in the sky.

How did I paint this?
After doing several studies with clay, drawing, and painting, I painted this on canvas stapled on the wall. First I primed the canvas with a paint roller with acrylic gesso. I painted with many thin layers so that it wouldn't crack, and also to add more visual depth. I usually like to review my painting progress from the distance. But since this is so big, I had to walk outside the house to see it through the window. It took me a few month. After the painting was completely dry, I mounted on a 1 1/2 inch deep stretcher. So the painting wraps all the way around the stretcher, and no frame is required.

How do I transport it?
When shipping, I remove staples from the back of the canvas to dismount the canvas. I roll the canvas like a carpet, then wrap it with soft blanket and tarp for protection. Once at the destination, I unroll the canvas and stretch it on the stretcher. It's ready to hang!