Day 309. Mighty Skoal

The Background Story

Here's the Cliff Notes version:
I found that squished metal SKOAL cap in the alley not this past August, but in August of 2012.  I walked past it (with Ebert in tow) for a week, looking at it day after day.  And I would think, I should pick that up--I could probably use it in a painting somehow.  Finally, as my mind wandered during these doggie walks, I came up with, "My girlfriend said I should give up chewing..."  I picked up the lid, and kept it for over a year in a drawer in my studio.  Every once in awhile I'd run across it, but I never wanted to paint three faces of the same dude.  I finally did one half of it earlier this month and finally completed it today.  A lot of hours went into this one, but I do really love how it turned out.

Here's the flushed-out novel:
Ohhhh, people.  I was up until the wee hours of the morning finishing up this one.  I had started it two weeks ago, and then abandoned it.  After I finished my watercolor painting yesterday fairly early, I was all proud of myself and was ready to relax.  Then at around 9:30 p.m. I sat and stared at this painting.  I've got to get it to a gallery on Saturday, and I thought, "Jill, do you think this is magically going to get done?  You can't wait any longer, finish it."  OMG.  An hour and a half later, my husband comes in and tells me he's going to bed.  Nice.  Here's our conversation:

Me:  "I'm overwhelmed.  I'm never going to get this done."
The Man:  "It's already done.  You don't need to do another thing to it."
Me:  "What?! There's a ton I need to do!  And there's about 7 more paintings I had ideas for and wanted to do and now I'm not going to be able to do them."
The Man:  "Well, at least you're not running out of ideas."
Me:  "Well, that's definitely not the problem.  Ugh.  If I get this painting done it will be a miracle."
The Man:  "O.K., nighty-night."

This scene ends with me staring at my closed door in disbelief.  Ah, the sleep of babes--or men who are not painting.  Meanwhile, I return to YouTube cuing up/cueing up (both are correct) Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and replaying The Who's "Eminence Front" over and over again.  Lenny Kravitz's, "Sister" kicks in later.  You need a slower jam at 2 a.m.

Hours later into today (Wednesday), I am done.  I did it!  I finished it. But when I go to bed, I can't sleep, because I'm still on the high of finishing it.  Did I say I finished it?  Ha!  So, I get up, eat something, watch an episode of the Kardashians, think to myself that I have to be up for my work day in 4 hours, and also think, I hope I don't have a heart attack.

Here it is.  And then off to the World Series I go--Boston may clinch it tonight--David Ortiz is on fire! (-:

"Eminence Front" - The Who (3:36--"Drinks Flow"...love it!)

"Sister" - Lenny Kravitz