Acrylic
an Interior Door
60” x 30”
Acrylic on half of a Door
surreal: Surreal, Nature
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This surreal and kinetic painting captures the essence of fly fishing — that fleeting moment between contact and escape. A glowing golden fly reel rests among reeds on the left. The rod arcs upward, its line alive with motion, whipping and curling across the canvas like ribbons of light. At the heart of the scene, a rainbow trout bursts from the water in a twist of iridescent color. But the lure has already flown skyward, detached and soaring beyond reach.
Ghostly dragonflies rise in the upper atmosphere with abstract cloudlike shapes and flowing currents, giving the whole scene a sense of both daydream and adrenaline. It’s not just a fish story — it’s a dance between nature and will, the beauty of the catch, and the poetry of the one that got away.
Tags: Trout, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Lures, Family, Childhood,
This piece was a special commission from my friend Kelly, who asked me to paint his grandfather’s cherished fly reel. From the moment he shared the story, I could already feel the energy of the piece forming. While I didn’t grow up fly fishing myself, I spent many childhood summers trout fishing in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra
The water and the quiet moments between casts are something I’ll never forget. This painting is inspired by one of my own favorite fishing holes — a spot where time always felt slower and more peaceful. I didn’t want to just paint a trout or a reel; I wanted to capture the feeling of it all — the anticipation, the connection, and that little bit of magic when a fish rises. The lure flying off into the sky, the trout twisting mid-jump, and the glowing line all help tell a story — not just about fishing, but about memory, family, and the moments that stick with us.
