Brian

“Brian.” Oil study of an old friend, on canvas 18x24”.
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Have you ever met someone who walks into a room and all the walls fall down? This is how I know Brian.
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Ive come to know the walls I build to protect myself also keep many on the outside. I push people away. That’s my thing.
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The first time I met Brian, he passed me in the last stretch of a half marathon, I thought he was being a total b-hole clapping as he went by. Then I saw him in the finishing chute, still applauding and knew he was a verifiable a$$hat. “Good for you, man, pace off me the whole way and then blitz by after I’ve done most of the work to get your carcass to the line.”
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The second time I met Brian, we ran the Enchantments in a day, an 18 mile alpine trail that we somehow turned into 23 miles and 9 hours getting lost in the worst way- try getting cliffed out in road running sneakers and no climbing gear and running out of snacks in burn season.
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And so many misadventures running through mountains, canyons and islands over the last 7 years would follow. I took a chance on this one, and he proved my initial suspicions far from correct.
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I found myself in quite the analogy of our story trying to find a reference photo of yours to work with. I’m not sure anyone would have seen this portrait in the original photo, just as I wasn’t sure there was a genuine and kind spirit in the a$$hole who outkicked me 7 years ago.
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We can talk about your nose, later.
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✌🏻.