Bad news travels fast, and I’m sure that many of you have heard that the sporting art world lost one of its premier members – not to mention a very nice guy – when artist John Swan passed away last weekend.Miramichi Salmon Association USA is honoring John Swan and Luther Hall at its dinner in Maine this Saturday evening February 22nd. The Swan family has donated this extraordinary piece of salmon art for the auction. It is 41 by 33 inches and depicts a classic salmon fishing scene on either the Restigouche or a Gaspe River.The painting was in John’s personal collection, and I don’t believe it has ever been sold. Everything about it is 100% pristine. Steve O’Brian owner of the highly regarded Copley Fine Art Auctions has compared Swan’s work as the modern successor to the great Ogden Pleissner.
Steve likely remembers him as he had a lot of his work in Grays Sporting Journal around the time he wrote for them.