Stepping Hard by Dean Mitchell

When a painting has movement, has life, when you can intuit the moments that led up to the moment in the painting, and the moments that come out of it – that’s a great work of art.

In this painting, Steppin’ Hard, the subject comes to life in the hands of the extremely talented American artist Dean Mitchell.

A lone subject dominates the composition. An upright male figure, we see him from slightly below eye level, so he’s taller than we are. Moving through the vertical frame from left to right, almost out of it. Trailing a flat shadow behind him from a high sun. Morning, maybe, or getting close to noon. There are no buildings or curbs, no horizon line. The solid background is a pale mauve underpainted with grey. The feel of an endless sea of concrete bleached by the sun. With no built environment around him to compete for our eye, we are free to see him more fully.

We see him in profile. Neck canted forward. Shoulders still straight, not rounded, just leading with the head as a lifelong habit. Looking forward, looking at someone or just looking where he’s trying to get to. His expression intent, the mouth closed but not too firmly, maybe laced with the beginnings of a smile, or the memory of a grimace.

See his dark t-shirt, slightly too big. See his left hand, held close to the body, something tender about it, the fingers maybe slightly cramped. Holding a handkerchief, brilliant white in the sunlight. His body heavy, not taking a full stride. Protecting something. An old injury, a bad hip. It gives him a slight stoop, an asymmetric walk. His dark blue jeans are full and slightly baggy. His black shoes are large and heavy. Boots, maybe. Sun glinting off the crown of a round mahogany head, skin glowing slightly with moisture, hairline moving back. Hint of a goatee.

Another take: it’s not a handkerchief, it’s a white shirt, carried carefully so as not to wrinkle. Put it on when he gets there. The steps heavy, moving with a quickness but stylized, stooped, shuffling a bit so as not to seem too eager or too proud. Lifelong habit of being self-effacing. Stepping hard, walking through the Quarters, everything familiar, every façade and face known, repeated for days and seasons and years, lifetimes, nothing new. Looking for friends, looking for threats, looking for chances. Always surviving, occasionally thriving.

Another take. Towel in his left hand. Empty fingers playing remembered notes of an absent trumpet with his right. Crossing the square, already hearing the sounds of the band, hip dipping with the rhythm. Hear his voice in greeting turn to laughter, watch his walk, distinctive, styling into a dance step for a moment. Ah, man. Yeah you right.

Red glinting from within the shadows, highlighting his steps, his edges like an aura. Red, white and blue – a color motif Dean Mitchell often works into his paintings to let us know these are American faces, American places.

Steppin’ Hard by Dean Mitchell depicting a solitary figure moving through an urban landscape.