Tantivy

I have been working - at least on and off. I am not taking a class this session so I am working on some things I wanted to learn and try. AND, I finished the big canvas  but you won't guess how. After trying this and painting that and changing this and adding that and, and, and . . .  Today I decided that I didn't like it, I would never like it and that to do more work on it would just be a further waste of time so I gessoed it. I sanded and scraped and then painted thick, opaque white gesso over it and thenI painted it again. The scraped, etc. canvas after the gesso was applied. (I poked a tiny hole in it during all the scraping, but I fixed it) A preliminary sketch of a view out the bus window during our trip to Italy. It is on cheap drawing paper and it just slurped up the the acrylic; I could hardly spread it.  The big canvas as it looks now. I am not saying that it will never change, but for now I am going to put it aside.  This is a abstract ...

I told you, I think, that my computer has been trying to die on me. The printer, not to be outdone, decided to print a whole photo or document on the bottom inch and a half of the paper. I ordered new ones of both.  I am 72 years old and I just don't have time to mess around with all that not working stuff.  So a few days ago I opened the door and found a box. It was a big box - much larger than I would expect for a printer.  Those are Dean's legs and his phone (iPhone 5) for reference. If I were just a little more limber I think that I could get in that box.  Inside was, yup, you guessed it, the printer, cushioned by a strip of folded over paper. Thanks FedEx for your careful packing. Of course the printer was wedged into its own box with enough styrofoam, etc, that it couldn't have wiggled if it tried. In fact it took me about 10 minutes to get it out of the box.  CreekBank ready to submit to my teacher and peers for review and critique. L...

Do you ever have those days? I wanted to do my daily scripture reading but my iPad was low on battery power so I went to my computer. No glasses. To the bedroom to get glasses. Hmmm, the bed hadn't made itself although I gave it plenty of time so I made the bed. The quilt, dumped on the floor last night (we don't have our A/C on) needs to be washed. To the laundry area with quilt in hand. Whoops, stuff in washer needs to go in dryer or be hung up. Loaded and started dryer. Made coffee. Talked to Sara. Plugged in iPad. Oh, yes, I was going to read. Went to computer. No glasses.  As I type this I realized that I did not actually put the quilt in the washer, so I am going to do that and then go to the studio. Oh! Go to the studio after I fold the load from the dryer. Maybe get something to eat. Heat my forgotten coffee. It goes on and on. However,  All will be well,  XOXOXO Caroline

Well, after the technician removed the big hairball from my computer's fan, things are working a little better, although we now have nothing left of Jackson but his ashes. A new printer to replace the one that won't feed paper is on the way. We went to our Granddaughter's dance recital - cute and funny- and will be going next to our grandson's band concert. I cut the grass and did not faint. Busy with lots of things but I have done a little to the BIG canvas. I had started the second time with photos of ancestors and was even adding a house that they lived in in 1906 but decided that those were subjects for another painting so I ripped them off. Well, I ripped off some and the last one I sanded and scraped and rubbed with alcohol (it does at least somewhat remove acrylic paint) until only a shadow remains. I think this might be the final plan, although it still requires quite a bit of work and finishing and that house must be demolished or painted over or whate...

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...