Tantivy

I don't have much to show you, but I am working hard. I have looked up reference photos, pulled things off, glued things on, sanded, scraped and painted. I still have what may be several weeks of work to do. I am enjoying the work, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew.  Here is the way it was. The dark piece in the upper right center is a photo of some rusty corrugated sheet metal that seems to have figures in it. I began with it but as I progressed it had less and less significance to me so... I ripped it off. The gesso and paint also came off  but I can fix that. Working on a painting like this requires a lot of sitting and looking at it and waiting for an idea of what to do next. I am going to have to move a microwave out there to reheat my coffee - or maybe just take a pot out. The lack of running water is a small problem, though, and you realize that without running water that other necessity isn...

Before I start again about the painting let me tell you just a bit about the studio. Our house was built in 1923, but the garage was built in the early fifties. It was a place for Mr. Rymer and his buddies to play poker until Mrs. Rymer grew too worried about what the neighbors might think and put a stop to it. That is the story I got from our friend Leroy Rymer, whose father built it with help from the guys at the stove works where Mr R was the top dog but not the owner.   There were closets in the corners, one torn down before we got here and the other torn down by me. ( if you ever want to feel powerful, take a hammer and tear something down. Hard work. but exhillerating. On the closet I tore down was the electric switch which Dean replaced but which still hangs there because we want to decide just what we are going to do before we drill any more holes, etc. There are also two electrical outlets on walls and one in the floor (can you imagine how many things I have to p...

Today, after having my teeth cleaned(not that it matters to the story), Dean and I went to Chattanooga to look for an easel. I knew that there were some at Art Creations where I take classes so we went there. After a bit of examining and thinking and comparing we decided on one that would hold a 60 " canvas vertically, just in case. The thing was that last night, just before I went to sleep, I decided that I needed to wipe (gesso) the whole thing and paint a scene from my past - a dirt road on the mountains as it curves around and vanishes. Trees, bushes, grass, a little water - it has all the good things. I would have done it horizontally, of course, but I wanted to be ready for vertical if needed. The easel is nice and sturdy, I didn't have to pay shipping, and Wow ! it was already assembled!  Sandra, the store manager, and Dean rolled and carried it out to the car and the three of us just got it in with about a hair to spare between the back lift gate and the rollers on t...

Somehow I got it into my head that I would like to paint large. A canvas became available and I went for it. Now I had painted large before. The blue hippo, now at Jenny's house, is 36"x36". The Rose is 30"x30". They at fit into the car with room left for the three from Cleveland to drive to Chattanooga to class. This canvas is 36" x 60". That is my height by more than my width (although I am deeper - much deeper). The back seat in the car has to be put down and the canvas fit in at an angle. What, you might ask, was I thinking?  Well, I am not so sure that "thinking" is the word to use here. I have never been one to hold back so I just jumped in.  The canvas has been in the studio for several weeks but I have been busy. However, yesterday I decided to go for it. I gessoed it with two coats and today.....I began.  I made two large marks with dark blue paint. Hmmm, The brush didn't hold enough paint to make smoot...