Monday, January 31, 2011

BIG STORM LOOMS UPON TWO LOCAL PAINTERS

The big hubub today is the looming winter storm ready to ice and dump on the Midwest with the fury of Zeus, Thor and the American middle class public. Tim called to leave early since he woke up today  earlier than usual. Stiff neck or not let's go painting today. Okay,what time I chimed in? Nine and breakfast first. Ohhhh, I know it's my turn to buy. OK,breakfast but I have to drop off bills at P.O. We'll do that after. So we head for the Track's end and have the usual. I'm not going into that because it's good and still about the usual. So we head down town and run by the P.O. Incidentally we had breakfast next to guess who? George Washington. No turkey feathers!!! Tim knows this guy. He worked at Lockheed Boeing and now is retired n Peru. We strike up a conversation and in the back of my mind I am fighting the urge to ask him. Did you? Yo know the cherry tee. But I don't it would be so 6th grade. George Washington, I felt like saluting the guy. 
We are looking for a place to paint and I suggest East 8th St. as there is a place there with an old garage and some other buildings. It's  neat with the shadows and all. Tim heads for 8th St. As he is driving I am saying there, how about there...over there...Tim still is driving. Turn around let's go back that old house looks like a possibility. He does. Surprise. He parks and we start to set up. The wind is picking up as I can feel the car move with the gusts. No, that is Tim scrubbing in a base pastel layer with his palm. Hey, your'e going to have to hold that down. I'm trying to draw lines back here for the buildings and there all over the place. He smiles. Okay, I start  and I'm thinking of a guys work I saw a week ago which I really liked so I am thinking in basic forms like blocks or Monopoly houses you now those little green ones. I'm looking at the buildings and the light is from he left but it is not a clear light like Tuscon as the sky is overcast somewhat. 






With the Big Storm coming Tuesday and Wednesday I should be glad for any light. The more I work the more I realize that guy isn't a plein air painter. His work is methodically planned like a chess strategy and it just isn't working for me. Why am I doing this? Because I like his work and would like to incorporate that style into my work but it's like putting panty-hose on a donkey. Now I'm getting frustrated which is about 1 inch from pissed. "This isn't working! This is going to be the lousiest painting Iv'e done so far counting all of them. Tim," yeah I know mine isn't seeming to work either."  It's the BIG STORM messing us up. The barometer is probably below 28 millibars of mercury. What ever that means. Yeah, yeah I know atmospheric pressure, a LOW comes in and the storm follows it. But to say, Hey man the mercury is below 28 millibars sounds down right geeky and stupid. Bob Gregory, I'm not.

No comments: