I’ve decided that I can paint whatever I want, whenever I want. So simple, yet so hard for some of us.
"On Her Way..."
So, I’m drawing, stitching, and looking at photos, figurines, paintings of boats… boats, and more boats.
And I’m even allowing myself to keep my eyes open. Doing the blind paintings was a way of just being in the moment and also of not judging myself. If my eyes are closed, of course it’s not going to be perfect. For the last few drawings, I've kept my eyes on the reference mostly, but peeked at the paper now and then. Trying to work quickly and loosely, to remember the childhood joy of drawing.
I gave dyeing with black beans a whirl. Easy peasy- dried beans and cold water. Left the cloth in overnight. Depending on the fabric, it came out shades of purple to gray (that bright purple piece started out pink).
“Going… Without knowing or caring”
I used some of it for the lower sky here (below Deb's dazzling dyeing).
While doing this one a memory came… Growing up I drew all of the time, but then the teenage years made way for other things – theater, writing, basketball… (a few boys, too, including K.!). One birthday, 16th I think, my brother gave me a gift. We weren’t close anymore, avoided each other or spoke in snarls. As I opened up a small sketchbook and set of colored pencils, he said, “You don’t draw anymore.” I was so touched that he had noticed and cared. I still have that little book somewhere.
Rhode Island sister is coming to town tomorrow. Looking forward to our time together, and some sea. And probably another boat...
