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
