Ok, before I get to the publishing of horrid painting number 4, I've got to catch you up on some stuff.
First, I saw a comment on my last post, when I went to read it, it disappeared. I deleted it by mistake. This goes back to the fact that technology and me simply do not get along. Any other fool can figure out the difference between "read" and "delete", but not this fool. Yesterday on my way to Key West for art class number 4, I stopped into Radio Shack to get a new phone charger. When the (about 22 year old) clerk behind the counter saw my phone, it was all he could to do hold in the laughter. Yeah, I'm working on a 9 year old flip phone with a pull out antenna. My last phone died, so I went back to my old phone until I have enough time to finally update that situation. My dead phone was about 5 years old, nothing to write home about anyway.
Another thing that happened, you may already know about if you're on Facebook with us. We had a rehabbed shore bird with us who was being housed temporarily here until she (he?) could be returned to a proper location where he (she?) could join a flock. We took to calling the bird (a masked booby) "Sue" as a hat tip to the great Johnny Cash. Long story short, Sue broke out of her cage and flew away. We had been dragging her cage in and out with the tides for the short time she was here, and the rehabbers were coming regularly to deliver her food. Apparently, the latch on the cage wasn't completely closed.... when you're a large shore bird who is ready to go free, yet trapped in a cage waiting for release, you have a lot of time on your beak. So, with that time, Sue used it to play with the latch and bust out. I made this discovery the night before last at 2:10am. I went outside to check on Sue, and literally my breath was taken away when I saw the door open. At first I thought it was the moonlight playing tricks on the cage, but no such luck. I immediately called Maya and Paul (Florida Keys Wild Bird Rescue) who, not surprisingly, were already up anyway. They were here within minutes. During that time, both the other happy vegan and I walked the shoreline looking for Sue. It was really bright out, it was the night of the full snow moon. We had flashlights, and did our best. None of us could find Sue. We have decided that she will find a flock and be ok. Yesterday was an emotionally draining, and physically draining day. Despite the fact that I'm an insomniac, being outside overnight looking for Sue was more than I'm accustomed to.
And, with that, I'm up to painting number four. I made it to class on time (I allowed myself 2 hours to get to class, this gave me time to make a few deliveries, and get a Happy Monkey smoothie at Help Yourself--without the sugar). I was so looking forward to a chicken as the subject matter, and I wasn't the only one. When I looked at the easel, I saw fishing boats. Ugh. The subject matter was VanGogh and boats. My painting yesterday makes last weeks' canvas look like a masterpiece. I've got nothing good to say about my painting. The scale is off, the colors aren't right, the blending again gave me troubles, and why in the world is there a blob of ocean on the sand is beyond me. The way Mr. Worth paints is with 5 colors--red, yellow, blue, black & white--and we have to blend our own colors. I'm not sure how he gets the amazing colors he does on his canvases, he seems to be using the same paints as we are, but I'm convinced he's got magic fairy dust sprinkled either on his brush, his paint, or his canvases. And, of course, being that this is a class, there is the issue of a time limit to complete the project. When you have a schedule to keep with paint, trust me, this teacher keeps to the schedule. It was a more difficult composition chosen for our last class, and Mr. Worth had high hopes I think. I had to laugh because at one point when I swore out loud under my breath, the very nice and polite woman next to me very softly murmured "I'm about ready for a palm tree now." I couldn't help but laugh, although she probably will never know just how hilarious I found her remark to be at that moment.
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| Painting #4. My classes are over, the bleeding can stop now. |
So, art class number four is over, and my painting misery is over at least for a while. I'm contemplating another round of painting boot camp classes in May or June. By then I would expect my schedule will be a little more forgiving, although Tuesday is always my day to drive Pop, so that means alternate plans will be made for that. By the way, speaking of Pop, his 104th birthday is in just about one month's time. 104! I'm in charge of his birthday cake, and he's got his order in for "chocolate cake, honey" which it shall be.
The other happy vegan has taken my 4 sad little paintings, and has them displayed. He said he likes them. He knows which side his bread is soy-buttered, so what else could he possibly say about all this painting nonsense? Again I'm walking away saying the leavings on the smock make more sense than the leavings on the canvas. I think more than anything I'm coming away from these 4 classes with an even bigger appreciating for artists who paint (come on now, you already know that I'm a huge fan of artists who paint, I'm always so impressed by such incredible talent). I'm also going to buy small cans of the same paints Mr. Worth uses for himself, and teaches with, and work on my color creating and blending. I think I'm going to spend a little more time on this final painting. I don't think I can allow that blob of blue in the right hand corner to stay (yes, I cracked, ok? I was reaching for the odd brown blob on the palate, and by the time the brush made it to my canvas, it somehow found it's way into my odd blue blob). Also, Mr. Worth wanted a small person painted on one of those background boats. I've decided I'm going to put a dog in there, instead of a person. I can handle that, it's just tiny dots after all. Mr. Worth taught me to be more comfortable with a brush, not be afraid of paint, and that if you make a mistake, you can paint right over it later. Perhaps with that advice in mind, I'll just paint this entire canvas white, and start over. Can't hurt, might help.
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