Oil on canvas; 24x30; framed
 
This is part of my series "Oregon's Painted History" - which depicts some of the more colorful, less-known stories from bygone days in Oregon. 
 
Oregon has a complicated history with alcohol. In the mid 1870s, Portland had a licensed liquor outlet for every 40 people in the city. During the late 1800s, men turned to drink for solace with their wives and children often suffering from neglect and abuse. Women were only allowed in a limited number of bars where they were required to remain in designated areas. In this painting the men are lost in drink and oblivious to the changing situation around them.