I was originally going to title this painting Brothers. It is as much about the joy of fishing as it is about the bonding experience that fishing allows. I painted it in memory of my older brother, Steve. I have fond memories of him teaching me all of the things he knew about fishing and camping. I painted the older brother with his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder representing that protection that I always felt when I was with Steve. It was pretty handy having a brother that was 6' 4".

I painted that moment when a fish has just taken its first bite, the line gives that pull and the excitement jumps into your throat. The experienced older brother is a little more collected and amused with his brother’s reaction. When I was this age I remember letting out quite a few whoops of joy while out in our dingy but my big brother was always there to make sure the fish made it into the boat. - MW