24 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 (2024) Digital painting From the series 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩 Pulling up to this small Midwestern 24 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, I could feel the tension in the air. The loading dock stood illuminated against the night, a beacon of activity in the quiet hours. The loader's demeanor was gruff, his movements sharp with frustration. Loads had gotten mixed up earlier, and the night wasn't going smoothly. His serious expression and no-nonsense attitude sparked a familiar feeling. "Were you a Marine?" I asked, taking a chance. His eyes met mine, a flicker of surprise breaking through the stern facade. "How'd you know?" Quietly grinning to myself, I asked, "West coast or East coast?" "West coast," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "Parris Island," I countered. We both laughed, the tension dissipating. Soon, we were trading stories, each trying to outdo the other with tales of which boot camp was tougher. The work still needed to be done, but now it was punctuated by nods of understanding and the occasional chuckle. As I prepared to pull away, I took one last look at the scene - the harsh lights, the numbered bay, the cautionary signs. It struck me how a simple connection can transform a place, even if just for a moment. Later, as I recreated this scene, I found myself balancing between reality and interpretation. The harsh lighting, the shapes of the loading dock, the signs - these I kept close to life; helping to anchor the viewer in the familiar. For the loader, I took a different approach. As he moves past the open dock door, his figure is less defined. It's not about one specific person, but about all the workers who keep things moving through the night. The lack of detail leaves room for the viewer's imagination. This mix of the real, and the interpreted is what I find interesting about digital painting. It's not just recording what was there, like a photo would. Instead, it's a way to highlight what felt important about that moment. The light and shadow, the sense of movement, the warmth inside versus the cool night - all these helped to convey the feeling of this late-night encounter. In the end, I hope this piece captures more than just a scene. I want it to evoke the feeling of those brief connections that happen in these in-between spaces, during the hours when most of us are sleeping. ------- 24 Hour Facility | 2024 | 4320 x 7680px | Digital Painting