1869 Transcontinental Railroad Portraits
Volcanic Stainless Steel Paintings
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American Pioneers
Portraits From The Railroad
Recent art series inspired by my great-great-grandfather that worked on the Transcontinental Railroad and is pictured in the Meeting of the Rails photos. My research quickly exposed the racist times in that the 10-12,000 Chinese Railroad Workers were left out of the history books. Unrecognized for their brutally hard work, genius engineering, and personal stories! With the help of a team of dedicated historians and family descendants, I’m painting their stories. Documenting by painting my Irish grandfather, the Chinese grandfather and the Transcontinental Railroad stories into the history books with my Portraits From The Railroad series. Repairing the missing cultural patches in the quilt that makes and made America.
Thank you to the Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project at Stanford University.
A set of photos with my great-great-grandfather during the railroad building.
Samuel Faddies
1st Story
First painting in this project
My great-great-grandfather was a pioneer in 1868. He immigrated from Scotland to America. Was quickly hired by the railroad because of his experience working the coal mines since the age of 8 and his extensive experience with blasting powders. Sadly, in 3 short years he lost 2 children and his wife. He was a widower with a 16 month old daughter. The early pioneers were immigrants and dreamers. Volcanic Stainless Steel Painting
2nd Story
Second Painting in this project
Catherine and Rebecca
Work in Progress
My Grandfather’s first wife and Daughter. Catherine died after giving birth to her 3rd child, who died after shortly after birth. She lost 2 children and her own life within 3 long years in the United States.
This painting has been revealing in a very unexpected way. The Volcanic Painting requires heavy concentration or the image disappears when the fire is applied. This image did disappear partly. Clearly I didn’t put the same efforts into the wife and daughter’s portrait. I think it’s clearly because the women weren’t given as much value as the men.
I decided to separate the family portrait. Not because I believe or agree that they should be, but because that’s how the family is seperated in the industrial age. The father almost always placed as having higher value than the wife and children. It’s a market value, not a family or human value.
3rd Story
Third Painting in this project
Death of the Bisons 72″x48″
30 to 60 million bison were killed with the building and running of the railroad. Native Americans relied on the bison. The government used the slaughtering of the bison to destroy the ingenious peoples. The saying at the time was 1 dead bison equals 1 dead Indian.
4th Story
Forth Painting in this project
Coming Soon
Here I hope to add portraits of railroad workers with the help of their proud descendants.
Ancestor Portraits
Here I hope to add portraits of railroad workers with the help of their proud descendants.
Their Story
Fifth Painting in this project
Coming Soon
Here I hope to add portraits of railroad workers with the help of their proud descendants.
Ancestor Portraits
Here I hope to add portraits of railroad workers with the help of their proud descendants.
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