Description

An original watercolor by John Leo Loughlin (American, 1931–2004), titled Ice Drilling, depicting an ice fishing scene with a solitary figure standing on a frozen lake beneath dark, wind-swept winter trees.

Loughlin was an American artist, teacher, lecturer, illustrator, and longtime Rhode Island resident known especially for New England landscapes and coastal scenes. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, he worked in both oil and watercolor, though watercolor was reportedly his preferred medium, and his paintings are noted for confident drawing, expressive color, and direct observation of the region’s changing seasons, shorelines, and working landscapes.

This work has a strong modernist feel, combining cool blue-gray washes, expressive black linework, and a striking orange-coated figure as the central point of focus. Loughlin’s handling is loose and atmospheric, giving the scene both movement and stillness: the cold sweep of the landscape, the dark trees overhead, and the quiet isolation of winter fishing.

The contrast between the warm figure and the icy landscape gives the watercolor immediate visual appeal. It is decorative, graphic, and quietly dramatic.

Object Details

Artist: John Leo Loughlin
Nationality: American
Dates: 1931–2004
Title:Ice Drilling
Medium: Watercolor on paper
Signature: Signed lower left
Subject: Ice fishing / winter landscape
Dimensions: approximately 22 × 29 in.
Presentation: Unframed

Condition Description

Unframed watercolor on paper with visible age and handling wear. The sheet has irregular deckled/torn edges, including edge losses, abrasions, small tears, and areas of paper lifting or thinning along the margins. There are old tape remnants and adhesive residue visible along the reverse and edges from previous mounting.

The image area remains visually strong overall, with bold watercolor passages, good contrast, and a strong central figure.

Please review all photographs carefully, especially the edges, reverse, signature, and surface details. Sold as shown.

Purchase Details

Price: $575
Shipping quoted separately. Please inquire for additional photographs, condition details, or a shipping estimate. Local pickup may also be available in Warwick, Rhode Island.