Day 5

Despite only having about 3-4 hours to work on Friday, I kicked butt! First of all Doug was in NYC for the day so I was able to play my music loud and sing along. Doug works in the room right next to me and can pretty much hear whatever I do. And even after 18 years I still feel embarrassed to really sing so that he can hear me. It's for his own good really, not to mention the good of our marriage. I do sing in front of my kids but that's because it embarrasses THEM, not me. Now I think whenever I hear Young Americans by David Bowie it will remind me of a party in college* AND painting the barn roof red on this painting:













So I worked on that piece as well as the other 24x36 piece and I am very happy with how they both turned out. I have to do just a bit more work on them, still not sure about the color of the path in the landscape, but essentially they are close to finished. This is the landscape, plus a close-up, that will be going to another gallery this coming week.
























I had planned to gesso some more panels Friday night but after unpacking a shipment of like, 900 more panels, making dinner and doing a few things around the house, I decided to prepare the panels on Saturday and do the under paintings for the next batch of barns on Sunday. I am pleased with my progress but it could still all go to hell if just one little unexpected thing happens.



* Young Americans always bring to mind an image of one of the first college parties I was at on Labor Day weekend in 1983. It was in a crowded apartment on campus and the school had kindly supplied a few kegs (aahhh, the pre-politically incorrect olden days). This guy, Joe, was doing a great dance with a girl while everyone else watched and sang and cheered them on. I think he was a junior and so I only knew him slightly. He was so beautiful (ok, I had had a few) and I couldn't stop watching him. At that point, I don't think I had ever seen a man really dance (in person that is), with spins and hips and rhythm and so I was transfixed. A few weeks later he and I were talking and I mentioned that I enjoyed the party and his dance in the middle of it all. He laughed and said everyone was commenting about it, but he had had a lot of beer and didn't really remember dancing that night. Figures. An image that I will recall every time I hear a David Bowie song for the next 20+ years and the person in it has no memory of it whatsoever.