While unpacking my art supplies and setting up my "painting spot" I came across 2 pads of 9x12 containing individual sheets of primed canvas. HOLY CRAP where did this come from???? I have no knowledge of buying it and I have no idea of how long I've had it. I'm going for my annual health checkup tomorrow so perhaps I shall mention this memory loss to the DR. YA - RIGHT!!!! When I go to the Dr. and he asks how I feel, I always say "I feel great - no problems - no worries - I should not even be here!!!!" If you tell Dr's anything else you will be x-rayed - poked - stuck and in general jerked about until something is wrong - even if induced by all this man-handling!!!!
So - I continue on from whence I left off. I said to myself - "SELF" what can you do with this treasure you just found? Weeeellllllll, these individual pieces of 9x12 canvas are perfect for sketching - and I mean quick - down & dirty sketching. Every so often I do very quick sketches - some times plein air and other times from my memory contained in this very mixed up brain of mine!!!! :>)
These sketches are fun to do and a good way to loosen up - to my way of thinking a painting can never be loose enough - ya gotta leave somethings for the viewer to finish - otherwise - go buy a camera and become a photographer.
That said - which I just said - sketches can also lead into a bigger painting of the same basic scene. In a sketch you can work out problems - pit-falls and general organization of the scene.
I have a good friend - a professional painter - Tony Van Hasselt - my idol as a watercolorist. When we lived in East Boothbay, Maine our home/gallery was a 5 minute walk to his home/gallery. I admit it - I used to stalk Tony - as I say he was my idol!!!
Long story short - one day he gave me a brush - I cherish that brush as it was one that he used when doing his paintings. It is like the brush is magic - I can feel tingles when I use it and my hand seems to have a mind of its own! It is like touching a vortex - crazy????? PERHAPS however none of you out there have touched it soooo-----ZIP YOUR LIPS and try to understand and appreciate what I'm saying! :>)
Any-hooooo I used Tony's brush for this painting and when I say a "QUICK SKETCH" I spent no more than 10 minutes on this - working totally in a wet into wet style with vigor - expression emotion and no regard what so ever for exact color as this was from memory and as we all know my memory is not all it should be!!! :>)
This is a photo of the brush - it is a Muslin brush with natural ox hair and the hair is 1.5 inches wide and 1.5 inches long. It is made in Germany. Sign painters use very similar brushes in their work. I love this brush!!!
Other than the wooden portion of the handle and the ox hair, the rest of the brush is COPPER!
Well, as I say this was what is commonly referred to as a "QUICKIE"
HEY - you in the front row - 2nd seat in from the left - that is not the type of "QUICKIE" I'm talking about sooooo as they say on Southwest Airlines when the plane pulls up to the gate --- GET OUT!!!!
What a nerve - and in mixed company too!!!!!
Any-hooooo now that he is gone----- it is a simple landscape - (needs some tweaks here- and thar) but the concept of it is done and could be transformed into a larger painting perhaps 18 x 24 or so.
Until next time my friends - enjoy your days.
JR :>)
