Monday, January 19, 2015

Art Therapy

I never made it into the pottery studio on Sunday. The day was spent doing household stuff like pushing the vacuum around and running the washing machine. The bisque kiln was firing away, getting our pots ready to be glazed today.

In the corner of one room, three new canvasses have sat for nearly a year. I bought them to create a triptych of ginkgo leaves for Danielle's birthday. The evening that I came home with the canvas and a few other supplies, the phone rang as soon as I set my bag down.  It was my sister. She was calling with the news of my parents car accident. The accident that began the spiral of events that consumed my winter and ended with my mother's passing in May. I had neither the time nor inclination to start the painting. As time wore on I would move them to vacuum behind them but still couldn't bring my self to peel of the plastic coverings and get to work.

Yesterday I decided it was time. I set up my work space and started to paint.
It felt so good...
So good that the time got away from me. I was listening to music and happily mixing colors and laying down my background. When I looked at the clock it was 10pm and we hadn't eaten dinner yet! Jeff was still in the studio throwing pots. I cleaned up my paints, gave some leftovers a new life, and we enjoyed our late night dinner together.


  1. Hi Michele, thanks, I would have been asleep or famished if I didn't eat sooner than that, can't wait to see your creation; are the colors gesso primed ?

    1. Linda, I am not an "experienced" painter so I am not entirely sure what you mean, but I will try to answer. The canvas came primed for painting. When I use acrylics I typically mix them with a little gloss medium. I like the way the paint flows with the medium in it.
      If I didn't answer your question, explain it to me so I can learn a little more about acrylic painting. Some day I will take a class that isn't on youtube!

  2. The satisfaction, physical and mental of being completely engrossed in something...exhilarating....and tiring!

  3. You know you're in the midst of your passion when the hours fly by!

