The autodidact is often suspicious of outside authority. He or she values creative invention and takes confidence in the idea that the personal path is the best one. “All education should be self-education.”
Don't know if you remember, certainly I don't expect that of you, but I was quite pissed on one of my trips back to Boston to discover TY had tossed out some big flat mover's boxes for pictures that contained an unframed silkscreen I quite loved. But hey, he was trying to help and had forgotten that was a 'SAVE' pile until I found what to do with it. I internalized my wrath like the little guy above, then forgot about it.
This past week I was trying to decide what to do with a nice watercolor of our old house- she did a great job- my mom had commissioned it for us but unfortunately the house was painted pinkish mauve at the time and it looked pretty icky with all the red I have. I don't know what happened to the frame, it may have been something my dad made because it was a particular shade of Early American wood orange. Anyway, gone. But tipped, out of the back between the illustration board an the mat was my silkscreen picture of the cowboys! Sorry the Mulberry paper was translucent and something dark was under it, probably the house picture..
We bought this 45 years ago from the artist because it so much looked like my Grandpa Pete, aka Rattlesnake Pete. We also got another one of a Victorian guy with a giant rabbit and a third one that is long missing of a giant rust colored chicken. So yesterday I hiked down to Michaels to get a cheap frame job.
I had to wait a long time, only one gal on the desk and a couple ahead of me were indecisive and wanting a 5 or 6" gray driftwood frame on a small oil painting. I couldn't stop myself and told then the frame was too big and really didn't go with the bright colors in the painting. I got a better look at it and the man proudly announced that he did the painting- the wife chimed in that it was a PBN kit. Oh gees I put on my faux face of admiration and told him what a good job he did staying in the lines. He got quite puffed up. Truly I had never seen such a finely drawn scene in PBN- you really couldn't see that sort of posterized design. So, I didn't lie and told him he must have a steady hand. It cost them $300 for a frame and they thought that was a bargain. Then the wife started telling me about his eagle picture that he gave to a son, a flower for the daughter and on and on.
I think I got so flummoxed that I got a frame I didn't love.
Big news here is that I finally got to the studio for half the day. Nothing changed, no elves, no gremlins. The AC worked, the lights went on, and I worked a couple of hours on the quilting on the Hurricane piece. I don't love the job I'm doing but can't figure out how to make it easier. Since it IS of a hurricane I am exempting myself from clean lines- ruffled and shredded edges are OK. 'Cause I make the rules, right? I'm somewhere between 3 and 4.
Time for the ART PART if you're inclined~
Adopting traditional decorative motifs found on Ming Dynasty ceramics, Chinese artist Lei Xue sculpted these humorous smashed aluminum cans that bridge the gap of some 600 years of art history. The pieces are part of an ongoing series titled Drinking Tea, and unlike the mechanical process of producing cans, each object is sculpted and painted by hand.
BUT WAIT!!!
Compare and Contrast with Liz Crain's Rusty (ceramic!) cans, also hand painted. I love the ones with the bullet holes! She is not making them any longer, is searching for a new fascination so I am really glad I gabbed some of her other work last time I sold a quilt!
Have a weekend where you get some real beer cans collected! I'll do my best
1 comment :
Great readding
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