The Postman ~ A wistful moment on Meeting Street!
My latest painting entitled The Postman (12”x12” oil on board) was inspired by my sighting of a postman walking from house to house carrying his mail sack over his shoulder while sorting mail in his hands for his next delivery. He was delivering to a stretch of historic homes along Meeting Street in Charleston. The scene could easily have been from decades ago and it created a sense of nostalgia in me.
The Postman by William R. Beebe, 12 x 12, Oil on board, $2200
I love the fact that in small towns all across America and even in condensed cities like Charleston, the mail is still being delivered on foot. A local mailman is called by name and mail is brought right to the front door.
It made me think of old fashioned letter writing and how it’s been replaced by emails and texts.
In college I wrote hundreds of letters to my girlfriend from high school (now my wife). It was another time. We couldn’t wait for letters to arrive. As romantic as it all was, emails and texts make communication so much faster and easier.
Now, the postman is mostly delivering bills, magazines, ads, etc… and some of the thrill of mail delivery is gone.
But, there is still a need for the postman! He’s out there in rain, sleet, and snow, walking house to house, making sure the mail is delivered. So, my painting is about capturing a wistful moment. It takes me, and I hope you back in time, and romanticizes a simpler time and a slower pace of life.
I added a little texture to the gessoed board for effect. It enabled me to drag paint across the board and create broken brushstrokes, which gives it a bit more of an Impressionist look. I like the way it worked in the dappled light of the road and sidewalk.
The Postman by William R. Beebe, detail
I hope you like The Postman. It will be included in my upcoming show at Mary Martin Gallery on August 6th (the Broad Street location). Thank you for reading my journal and for your interest in my art.
I have another small Charleston scene already on my easel, so please check back soon and check it out. Thanks!
“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion….”
What’s next?
Drawing by William R. Beebe