Seeing Eye to Eye.
Growing up with eight siblings I often didn’t see eye to eye with them. We spent enough time arguing with one another. Most of the time over inconsequential things. But sometimes it was about important things, like who was going to get the last chocolate chip cookie. That’s why it was useful to play games like ‘Spoons’, so one could become efficient at the quick grab, or slight of hand.
In all seriousness we had to learn how to fight fare, and give consideration to one another. It was either that or Mom would break out the old pair of boxing gloves that came from I don’t know where, and would lay down the fighting rules. The match quickly turned into a silly affair because the gloves were oversized, heavy, and each ended up feeling ridiculous about the whole scenario. Well, except for my brothers whom I think really wanted to get a good lick in on each other.
Somedays I feel like that’s what my art supplies are trying to do to me.
Licked.
Today I’m laying down layers of gouache with a roller to come back over with colored pencils. The layers are proving tricky, and are getting a good lick in on me.
I’ve used gouache and oil paints quite a bit over the years, but once in a while I use them in ways I am unaccustomed to. That’s when they rear up trying to prove I am no master of their possibilities.
Sometimes I’m surprised and happy to find a new successful way of using them to interpret what I’m trying to show. Other times I struggle.
I guess I have to be like my younger days and just laugh about the scenario, then take off the gloves to find my way of getting along with them so the mind, hand and media can be like a congenial set of siblings. A thing of beauty.