This original acrylic painting on canvas measures 18” x 18” and is 1.5” deep.

I found a lone, worn work boot on a run once in Oakland, and brought it home with me. For a while it held rulers and other tall tools, then it took up space in the corner of my studio without purpose. It made the move with me to Portland, and when my new studio was completed, it was the first thing I painted. I remember becoming entranced with the subtle differences in how the light hit the leather, the texture of the laces, the shapes in the sole. It might be the most detailed, realistic painting I’ve ever made.

It was only later, looking at it up on its pedestal, that I decided to name it Protestant Work Ethic.

Note that the painting is shown against a yellow wall—the yellow is not part of the painting. All side edges are painted in a way to extend the colors of the front of the painting. This work is ready to hang and needs no framing.