More Untitled

I love this painting. A few of my friends do, too. I don't completely understand it yet, but I know I was supposed to paint it. It has already helped me be kinder to my body (my meaning) in a very real, physical way. This is quite a humbling thing...to allow a visual cue conceived by my subconscious to influence/guide my conscious behavior.

Chloe seems irritated by the technical execution. She did help me get enough of it right, so I am grateful for her input. It's not like I can paint from a still life model---there isn't one! For the last few days I have been taking it off my wall and dragging it out to the studio, putting it back on the wall, puzzling over it, taking it back out to the studio, painting over lines, repainting lines, repeat. I like where it is now. Mostly fixed. Though just now I saw more lines that could be helped.  

Cody just flat doesn't like the painting. He delivered the ultimate insult while looking at it this morning: "It's like taking a beautiful waterfall, and building a hotel next to it."

At first Cody's comment made me physically sick. (Thankfully I don't need his approval in order to hang the painting.) It was true for him to say it, so I actually like to hear his gut reaction and weigh it against my own meaning---and what it could mean that he sees such a symbolic painting this way? I let him know I was analyzing his experience of the painting and he said, "Now you're putting words in my mouth." I responded with, "I most certainly am. And I won't hold you to them." We had a good laugh.

Next step is to glaze the whole thing twice. Then I can finish the background without disturbing what's already laid down. I'll probably clean the whole thing up, sharpen lines, etc after that. It's still untitled.