Artwork copyright Mark Strathy. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Mark Strathy. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Rainy Day Recess, 1980

Mark Strathy
American (born 1953, died 2015)

Location: Department of Licensing, Olympia

About the Artwork

Rainy Day Recess is a figurative painting by late artist Mark Strathy. It features many realistic and imagined elements. A window in the background shows a cloudy sky, while colorful toys, objects, and figures fill the foreground. He composed the painting by first sketching the image onto the blank canvas. He then blocked out different areas of color using an underpainting, onto which he added texture and detail.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Department of Licensing.

About the Artist

Artist Mark Strathy (1953-2015) was born in the Northwest and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1978. He went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree from Brooklyn College in 1984. He taught for many years at Central Connecticut University.