Closing Time

Leonard Cohen has passed away.

We were connected.  The mother in law of Gideon Zelermyer, the cantor who sang on his last album, used to live two blocks from me.  I drive through Westmount, the city where  he grew up, a lot. I went to Mcgill University and my dog swims in the river where Suzanne had a place.
Maybe not so close.
Evil teacher Suzy wanted us to do a tribute to him and played his music for the entire class.  While I enjoy his music, 3 hours can make you feel very very sad. His poetry was beautiful. So it would be natural to include words in a painting.

It is very rare that a person who is not a hockey player touches both English and French people in Montreal.  He did.

And I loved you when our love was blessed
And I love you now there's nothing left
But sorrow and a sense of overtime
And I missed you since the place got wrecked
And I just don't care what happens next
Looks like freedom but it feels like death
It's something in between, I guess
It's closing time


It's Closing Time

Don`t Give Up on Me

I was in my class with Evil Teacher Suzy.  The painting I was working on needed tweaking.  She started yelling at me not to touch it while telling another student to go for it.  HUH? Why should I stop painting and why should the other student  continue. This needed an explanation and it had better be good.  It was good.  Suzy elaborated that the other student let's call her X - Madame X - would continue until she was satisfied and I would continue until I was unsatisfied and paint over it.
She is right.  I do that.  I did bring a painting to cover with gesso and paint over but when I brought it home I though I will show that evil teacher Suzy, this painting can't be fixed.

I really hate it when evil Teacher Suzy is right.  I worked on it and for not very long and I started to like it.  I think it needs a little more work but not much.  I love the effect of the sun and the shadows on the building.  What do you think?

Early Morning

I am really pleased. I feel I captured the effect of the light  peeking through the buildings.

Don't tell Evil Teacher Suzy that she is right - I am afraid of what else she might make me do.

Plein Air Lessons

I bought a portable easel determined to paint outside on a regular basis.  Then I chickened out.  I suffered from a bad case of the imposter syndrome -  a fear of being exposed as a fraud or in this case a bad painter.  I called evil teacher Suzy begging her to come paint with me.  After 3 hours of whining she graciously agreed to come. This is my setup

 And this is what I learned

1. Before you buy your easel, carry it around the store for a few minutes to really see how heavy it is
2. Wear an apron to use as a rag because your free hand is holding the palette.
3. Watch where you set up  - what is behind you is as important as the view.  My easel was at the edge of a wooden trail and I couldn't step back of the drop and the poison ivy. I could have easily initially  positioned my easel to avoid this problem.
4. And the most important warning - do not have a super sized coffee before you go.

Evil Suzy painted a gem.  I was thrilled with mine not because I think it is great but I painted outside and  loved it.

Hardly anyone was at the park.  A few people walked by us.  No one said a word.

Not one word.

Boy Could I Use Some Help

I am working on a painting in Evil Suzy's Class. It is a great project (don't tell her I said so) We are all painting the same dress on a big canvas  24 x 36.  The show will have the dress in the middle surrounded by all of the classes' paintings.  Here is the dress:

I liked the dress itself but I am having so much difficulty with the background. Here are two iterations.

It is a big painting so it isn't like I can keep trying out things.  I have been scouring the internet for ideas but I haven't found anything brilliant that I can steal. Even Sargent was no help

Please Help - Quickly

I'm So Excited

"I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it"

Evil Teacher Suzy, made us paint outdoors.  I have never had a successful plein air session.  I dreaded it, didn't look forward to it and silently swore at her.  I faced my fears and plunged on or rather painted on.  I had a few problems, I have floaters that drive me crazy outside,  my glasses darken in the sun and I forgot a hat.  I arose above all these potential problems and painted this very small painting. Evil teacher Suzy called it a gem of a painting and who am I to argue with her. 

I moved rocks, changed the direction of the path and replanted trees.   I am thrilled because I always avoided putting trees in my paintings which is ridiculous.  It is almost like portrait painters who avoid painting hands by putting them in pockets.  Ridiculous I say face your fears it is so freeing and sing the song and lose control.   I think you'll like it.