I have found January weather so gloomy and so depressing that I decided to paint something that would cheer me up.
At the end of December I saw the just-past-solstice streak of bright sunshine in the kitchen which came through the stained glass window above the kettle. It lit up the top shelf of mugs, the tumblers and the wall, and I took a photo of it.
I thought it would make a terrific painting, and then thought…what would a painting add to it? Why paint it when I have a photograph?
But I wanted to paint something bright and colourful and cheerful, so I launched in.
I love our colourful kitchen that I painted last January…
This time I have enjoyed the bright colours of the painting and the challenge of painting different shaped mugs with different handles pointing in different directions, and also trying to get the sunshine reflections glinting in just the right places.
I had almost reached the end, but had been leaving the tumblers on the top shelf to the very end, because I knew they were going to be so difficult.
I dithered. Should I miss them out? I didn’t want to ruin the painting and have to paint that whole top section again.
I texted Het and asked what she thought? Would it still be good if I missed the tumblers off?
“You said it was your job,” she said.
“Pig!” I said.
Then I texted Tate, my eldest grandchild, who is artistic and has a good eye for design. He told me to practice painting them on another board. Good plan. I did, and it did not go well. It convinced me to miss them off.
I had also left this mug to the end because I knew it was going to be hard to get the lettering right, as it disappears round the curve. I bottled out of that one too.
This meant I had to paint it a different colour because that white mug, top left, looked awful with no writing and deep shade on each side. But what colour should I paint it?
Blue didn’t work
Orange didn’t please me
I have decided on pink, which ties in with that tin mug with pink and red flowers on the bottom shelf.
When it’s done, I will show you.
That is what has been occupying my week. That, and helping out with MsX because neither of her parents was in the pink.
I loved it!
She is such fun to play with and her language is so advanced for a two year old, and I have just realised what makes toddlers so enchanting - they are straightforward about what pleases them, and they are not in the least bit self conscious. I like straightforward people who say what they mean and don’t shilly shally, who are enthusiastic and go all in. I suppose this makes sense when I love colour so much.
1 comment:
I loved that exchange!
Xx
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