Fishing Opener at the Confluence is an original oil painting of several distant figures fishing on a beautiful summer afternoon. I painted this piece standing along the Eau Claire River looking down river to where it meets the Chippewa River. “Confluence” means “where two rivers join”. The Chippewa River and Eau Claire River join in downtown Eau Claire, WI.

The city built a brand new and beautiful art center nearby and they called it “The Confluence” to celebrate the location. I participated in a 2-hour quick paint plein air competition through this art center in May 2021. Two hours can be a challenge for a painting this size. But sometimes, paintings just paint themselves, and this was one of those times. I was setup below the walking bridge on sandy stretch in the shade. If you get to Eau Claire, be sure to explore and check it out! It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, and on top of it, this painting won “Best in Show” for the quick paint.