Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches (41 x 51 cm) Status: SOLD
“Blue Oxidation”
(Blast Furnaces and Steel Mills still proudly producing on the banks of Cleveland, Ohio’s Cuyahoga River)
More on this piece:
Being born and raised outside of Cleveland I wanted to paint the city for the epitome of what it’s known for …making steel.
Between the reality that most of the world’s steel production has been moved to China, and Cleveland transitioning towards becoming a Medical and Biotech hub, I wanted to capture the gritty character of the cities heavy production industry in the Cuyahoga River Valley. One never knows what will become of Cleveland’s last mill in the future, but encouragingly the city’s ArcelorMittal plant has increased production in recent years. The painting was started during a hazy November day, hence the blue tonalism of the piece. It includes: A blast furnace and two steel mills still surrounded by necessary production elements such as: iron ore, limestone, and coke piles, fuel storage containers, transport ships, a plethora of rail cars and the City’s cityscape in the background.