Paintus- Interruptus

I’ve been working on this piece, expecting to have finished it today.

” La Reine Market Seller ” Oil on Panel 11 X 14

Started it with a Burnt Sienna / Ultra Blue wash and a loose drawing with the brush.

I’ve been mesmerized by the works of Joaquin Sorolla and his depictions of his subjects under the hot Madrid sun. This site has a slide show of his complete works.

One should not get so hypnotized by muse or self that one doesn’t pay attention to how one wipes the unwanted paint off a palette knife.

They do not call it a palette Spoon, or a palette Fork, but a palette KNIFE!

Hence, Paintus Interruptus.

When well used, they are more like a Palette Shiv.

This experience must fall under the proverb employed by motorcycle enthusiasts:  ” There are two kinds of riders-those who’ve wiped out and those who haven’t wiped out yet “.

Too bad I didn’t need to add crimson to this piece- I could have had an endless supply. My thumb is in the shop for a few days- enough time to look through more pages of my Sorolla book.

This guy doesn’t have to be concerned about a useless thumb.

And neither does Chili Pepper…..he’s almost flaunting it in my face……

For Her Fans……Cloud ! And More…

Art, schmart.

Some times the muses are too damn cute.

The object of her stalkers’ tendencies……Angel exiting the closet.

” yeah, cute, schmoot, I can bench press twice my body weight…..”

” if I tell you you’re handsome, would you get off my paws so I can get up”?

” it’s enough to drive a girl mad “…….

In case none of the preceding was sweet enough, I leave you with Tropical  Mango Pie…..

Fresh, whole nutmegs from the farmers’ market…

Remind me of the art nouveau lettering of Hector Guimard’s Paris Metro sign…

A new painting is arriving here soon…..in between pets and pie, there’s been paint too.

Almost Got My Goat…. New, Finished Painting.

This painting almost beat me down but it didn’t ” get my goat “.

” Win A Goat ” 18 X 24 oil on linen stretcher canvas

” A commonly repeated story which purports to explain the phrase’s origin is that goats were placed with racehorses to keep them calm. When ne’er-do-wells who wanted the horse to race badly removed it, i.e. they ‘got someone’s goat’, the horse became unsettled and ran badly. That’s just the sort of tale that gets the folk etymology juices running.” ( Thanks to the Phrase Finder )

Now that I’ve squinted enough to really see the value contrasts this needed to make the shirt come alive, I’m probably an excellent candidate for Botox, Dermabrasion and a Wrinkle Fix. Crows feet, nothing: I’ve turned Pterodactyl .

But that squinting thing really helps see the large value areas. Thanks Leslie, of Leslie Paints  for suggesting I disregard the design-y thing on his shirt. I didn’t do the bib overalls but your suggestion got me here. I’m pretty pleased with the finish.

From behind, it looks like I really DID get my goat, but that’s just the long little doggie Cloud, cooling her nether regions on the tiles.

Her rear end looks more like it belongs in a package marked Tyson, yet there’s that rabbit tail, or whathaveyou extraneous goat parts hindquarter that defies a category.

These two don’t seem to care that it’s too hot to be enveloped in fur:

Nevermind- she dif” furs “.

“Enough, don’t you realize how hot it is? You tryin’ to get my goat ? “