In an effort to be the best Jason I could be the last couple of days I did two 5K runs (saying “f*ck you to my shin splints), baked up a farm of cookies (saying “f*ck you to the two 5K runs) and made some progress on the ol’ Library painting.
I am taking the next week off from Arting, so here is where I am at so far…
Monthly Archives: December 2011
When working with solvents it is very important to LABEL your jars
I’ve included a shot of my new labelling system for my jars of solvents and mediums. I just went through a complex “is this water? is this taltine? is this turpentine? is this all three?” decision making process. Good thing oil and water doesn’t mix so I could sort them out safely and dispose of them safely.
I also got to start the Library painting today. I am uber fond of the text at the bottom.
Bib… Bib… Bibliotheque!
I’ll just cut to the blog chase…
Library painting… surface stitching did not stretch smoothly (but the rabbit glue worked incredibly! I will continue to use it in the future). However, the stretching left one corner very loose. I tried to re-stretch it this evening to little avail (but it is still very much workable). I did a rough sketch and am working on getting the plan DOWN! Hopefully tomorrow I can sketch it out on the surface and get cracking.
Titillating Titles and Carpentry
It should not have taken me this long to get this post up but here it is…
The list of title suggestions for the Lunenburg Farmer’s Market painting:
- Market Mix
- Market Mantra
- We Like The Way We Are
- Thursday Contemplation
- Feeding the Body and Soul
- Marketeers
- Lunenburg Cornecopia
- Market Moments
- People Pot-Pourri
- Cornecopia of Lunenburgers
- Market Montage
- Earthly Goods
- Lunenburg Farmer’s Market
I am not sure yet how I am going to decide the official title. This has given me a lot to think about. For the time being however, I think I will take it to a vote. Any suggestions out there in the blogesphere would be appreciated.
I have been spending the last few days building stretchers and sewing and researching and sketching and…..
What I have to show for this is 4 stretchers, half a sewn surface and a ton of photographs for research. I am excited to start work on the Library painting.
LOOK AT ME… don’t look at me… LOOK AT ME!!!
Today was a good day: I took the Lunenburg Farmer’s Market painting to the Lunenburg Farmer’s Market. Thank you to everyone who stopped to talk to me – your kind words and support mean a lot. I also solicited a number of great suggestions for a title. I will announce it next week.
In the meantime, I have started work on a Library inspired painting. I am looking forward to starting this one. I spent yesterday building stretchers and getting into the research part of the show. I will keep the blog posted.
As a bonus – this post includes my certificate for having completed the Lunenburg Curling Club “Learn to Curl” program.
I let the Jason in red pyjamas and horns win today
But thats okay!
I went to the Library today fully intending on talking to the librarians and doing some sketching but instead was distracted by a puzzle on the table in the middle of the room. Dad would be so proud. I went to the Library at 3:30pm, they close at 5:00pm, so I didn’t quite get it finished, but I’ve included my progress in this post.
Library puzzle, strike one.
We had a mishap in the studio today… The door leading from the Firetruck bay to the studio got locked from the inside. We went to town hall to see if they had a key… nope. I went to the firehall to see if they had a key… nope. So what did I decide was the best thing to do? Jimmy the lock with a screwdriver (or in this case, pry the door frame away from the door far enough to get it unlocked… not very safe for a fire door)
Breaking into the studio, strike two.
After a long painting session I was craving sugar for some reason. Looking at what was available to me, and with the assistance of Google, I made coconut banana cinnamon pudding (and added a graham cracker crust to it). I also treated myself to some hot apple cider.
Giving into sugar, strike three (although it was amazingly delicious, and really not THAT bad for me).
ON THE OTHER HAND… I did manage to do the best painting of an apple I have ever done on burlap. I also got way further than I thought I was going to today on the Farmer’s Market painting. AND I managed to arrange for the piece to go on display THIS THURSDAY MORNING at the Market – where I will be asking people for suggestions for a title!
Short n’ Sweet Progress Report
In this post is a progress update on the Lunenburg Market Painting (more on that a little further down) and some drawings I did today at the Mahone Bay Centre Sunday life drawing session.
I am at the point in the painting where it is just a matter of cleaning up all the blocky bits. I may not post for a while until it is finished… which I am aiming for this Wednesday! The reason for this is that I hope to display the final painting on Thursday at the Farmer’s Market. I hope that I can also have a title suggestion box. I don’t want to call the painting simply “Lunenburg Farmer’s Market”… I want the title to come from the same inspiration as the piece itself.
December 3rd is International Day for Persons with Disabilities
In honour of International day for persons with disabilities (December 3rd) I want to give a shout out to all the incredible friends from all over the world I was lucky enough to have met in Seoul this past September. Although I am inclined to borrow a cue from Morgan Freeman and say that I disagree with limiting the compassionate recognition of people to a single day, December 3rd IS an important step in creating a world where opportunities are given to everyone. And to my friends who competed for Canada in the Abilympics: Stephanie, Alexis, Paul (a.k.a. Lean Cuisine), Kayla, Justin, Samantha, Liam and Corey, I say, “keep doing the awesome things you do; you are among the most passionate, sincere and talented people I know.” And lastly to members of my family who live, or have lived with a disability, I send my love.
Lunenburg Market Painting goin’ soooooooooo gooooooooood
Had two great days in a row. Here is why…
I finally got past the 5K mark on my run – both yesterday and today. The weather has been awesome for jogging. Although I my shin splints are acting up again, I am quite happy with my progress.
At the market on Thursday I got a jug of apple cider, a fresh loaf of bread and some seasonal veg. I made an awesome veggie beef (thats tofu beef) stew and enjoyed hot cinnamon cider for dessert – two days in a row.
As for the Market painting, it has been going really well. I am having a good time painting vegetables and working with the new medium. I think I will be able to finish it by next week (fingers crossed).
Included in this post are some shots of the progress.
Eggs’ gone | Thanks kids!
I am all out of egg medium! A special thanks again to the kids at the Lunenburg Academy who helped make my jar of egg medium the awesome material it was.
In conclusion: The areas that I painted thickly (that is more paint than egg medium) are drying with a very chalky texture and appear to reactivate easily with solvents. The areas that I painted thinly (that is more egg than paint) are cracking (yes, pun intended).
Next step: I have decided to break the cardinal rule of oil painting – working Fat over Lean. This rule confuses the shit out of me anyway (pardon my language). When I think of fat in painting terms I am not thinking of lipids, I am thinking of thickness of paint – of course the real meaning of fat over lean is that you use less oily mediums (linseed oil, walnut oil, egg, “fat”) in you first layer and more in the glazes or finishing layers to prevent cracking when it dries (because the lower the oil content the faster the drying time). For the Lunenburg Market painting I have started my second layer using heavily diluted Galkyd (diluted with mineral spirits). I think this will work well for me because I am working one subject at a time. I won’t have to worry about the fast drying time and I will be able to address any cracking that might happen as I go. What I have found so far is that the mineral spirit diluted Galkyd medium is slightly reactivating the layer beneath and allowing for a fluid mix.
Included here is a celebratory photo of my empty jar of egg medium and a detail of the part of painting I started with the new medium. The subject for this happens to be a former resident of the Lunenburg Community Studio, Rebecca Roher.
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