Wilson McLean, Groovy 1970s Men's Fashion Bell Bottoms Surreal Bumble Bee, 1973

In the present work, Wilson McLean departs from a typical expected fashion setting and places his two male models in a surreal world. The outdoors comes indoors with cotton ball clouds entering an interior space. A close-up of a sexy, gorgeous girl with an open mouth and a curled tongue hangs on a wall as if it were a painting. In the foreground, the artist brilliantly includes a detailed image of a bumble bee that stares at the viewer. Pushed color in the form of heightened greens characterizes the picture's mood. The lead male model is captured combing his hair and looking down. His left hand covers half his face while his right arm partially blocks the model's face. The detail on the plaid pants is breathtaking. A lot is going on in this painting and it is a tribute the thoughtful brilliance of the artist.
Wilson Mclean was one of the most in-demand artists/illustrators in the world during the 1970s and 1980s.
His meticulously designed and carefully observed paintings have a style that is instantly associated with the artist. McLean is an underrated and overlooked powerhouse artist. The present work showcases McLean's inventive approach to men's fashion, where he sets the models into a surreal world of puffy clouds and buzzing bumble bees. The bell bottoms are out-of-sight groovy. Housed in a period heavy metal frame. Frame size 21.25 x 17 inches, Published Playboy Magazine
Oil on Canvas
20 - 16 inches
US$12,500
Wilson McLean , Scottish-American, b. 1937

Deftly painted and composed by the great Scottish-American artist Wilson McLean. He has done many covers for Time Magazine, Look, Sports Illustrated and Playboy. McLean has won nine silver and four gold medals at the Society of Illustrators