A friend asked why I copy paintings.
Well, happy as I am in our house, I am a wee bit tired of its vistas.
I feel like I’m 16 again — gas is cheap and I’m grounded. ~Internet meme, April 2020
Also, if I set myself up outside, I might start to weed and dirty fingers don’t go well with blank canvases. (Plus, who wants to be outside doing anything in July in Maryland?!)
So, I copy — imitate — what others have seen, as you know.
As a result, what I never mastered in watercolors, I am beginning to understand using acrylics: building a painting from the foreground up . . . or out.
When I used watercolors, I was often too impatient for the paper to dry before adding another layer. That’s a real good way to achieve MUD!
Acrylics are way more forgiving for painters who just want to get on with it.
But, relying on other artists’ perceptions means thinking: what did they start with in their painting?
In some ways, with acrylics I can begin with very dark colors and lighten up the finishing details. I’ve guessed wrong more than a few time times. (But Titanium white covers up almost as much as Gesso.)
Anyway, here’s the latest and its development.
I loved the original, but I love my Arabia pitcher better than the one in the original. So, I copied but added my memory. Can you believe I have had that pitcher for fifty years? (I can’t handle such big numbers.)
A friend gave the pitcher to me because once upon a time I had a black cat. (And Arabia was a very cool source of fun things.) It has been with me a shade longer than Doug.
We are celebrating our 48th anniversary.
In fact, when we were courting, he gave me a tray with cats. Remember CUROC? They both seemed to be the epitome of “modern” – now, some would call them retro.
I have a lot of memories I could add to my all my imitations!*
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust
A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers. ~Ruth Bell Graham
A happy marriage is a long conversation that always seems too short. ~Andre Maurois
*Kindness Stays on the Perch Even If Time Flies
*Are We Still Married If We Can’t Find the License?
PS: Here is July’s Portfolio:
