A Musing #2

So things are going underway for the new space. You’d think it be easy to find a place considering how simple it was back in the day when all the artists flooded Montmartre. We were all wrong to think so. Being a Canadian doesn’t help when it comes to creating a trusting bond with potential property owners. After a long hunt and some BS filled leases later, I found the one.

I’ve had lots of time thinking of what I could be painting during the last several months and I’ve strongly decided to get back into the flow of my portraits. I don’t want to call them realist because I’m tired of hearing art kids throw definitions around, but you know which ones I’m talking about. Being in an environment like Paris where you aren’t submerged in the deeps of realism makes me feel more eager to work on portraits more. There’s no academy near me and no one is telling me to be traditional. I’m a prick in the sense of I’ll do the opposite of what you tell me because one day I decided I didn’t like rules. I also feel I’m not being harshly compared here or getting lectured on how to incorporate academic methods into my work. People don’t work the same and I paint in a way that makes sense to me. If I add 3+1 to get 4 and you add 2+2 that doesn’t mean one of us is wrong.

So apart from portraiture, the Brut series will continue and I’m aiming to push colour more after looking back at some old pieces I did before heading to Florence. Also switching back to acrylic for these since I can’t handle waiting weeks for them to dry before I can do another layer. I was reminded by doing these little studies how bad acrylic smells so I’m not looking forward to clean up time around the studio. How have we not fixed this yet? Seriously, how? I’m not the only one to complain about this. I’m stopping myself here before I start making used toilet paper comparisons.

I’m eager to get back into it. The studies keep me sane for the moment, but it’s not the same. Going from these giant mural sized canvases to a pocket square really takes away the magic. Beggars can’t be choosers. I can wait an extra couple of weeks.

Reaching the end of this post I don’t even want to write anymore because I’m experiencing painting envy. Telling you my plan is making me jealous and that’s 1000 times worse since I’m an only child, so I’m going to end it here.