Captain Happy Hogshire met with me and brought the concept for this painting which would illustrate his win in the 1952 National Hampton One Class Regatta. He brought a black and white photo [below] and wanted to see his vessel as it approached the finish line on the Lafayette River in Norfolk, VA.

With my photos done and with the photo of his boat I sat down to make sketches in an attempt to create an interesting composition for the painting. This sketch [right] shows Hogshire on a close starboard reach [sailing term] closing in on the finish line.

With the layout of the scene determined, I suggested to the client that I create a small oil study that would show the coloration of the larger painting to come. This is the study [right] which was about 4” x 8” and confirmed that the painting to come would be what Captain Hogshire had hoped for. He gladly approved the study and I proceeded.

Hogshire and I discussed his love of sailing and he was very helpful in filling in details that would be essential in creating the painting. He was a member of the Norfolk Yacht Club and the scene would be in the river near the club. He also provided me with yearbooks from those days with photos of the club grounds and his competitors’ boats. In an effort to do a more accurate painting, I went to Norfolk and took out a boat in the river for photo references.

After studying the above sketch I felt that the bell buoy distracted from the boats so I switched the lead boat to a port reach which was better. With the Lafayette Bridge in the background and the Norfolk Yacht Club on the left I felt that the story of the painting was being told more completely.

“ Reaching for the Finish”

The final painting was beautifully framed and when delivered bore a gold, hand-lettered nameplate, and painting light. I was honored when Captain Hogshire passed away that the painting was displayed at his memorial service at the Norfolk Yacht Club, Norfolk, VA.