Friday, December 3, 2021

wasted days and wasted nights...


Wednesday...Right now I'm discouraged and not happy. The paint job looks like crap, too thick in some places, varying levels of shine, can't get the fucking spray paint in the corners which is why it's so thick in some places. Tomorrow I'm using acrylic to get into the corners and then I'm spraying the whole things with clear matte finish, fuck the glossy finish on the trim. I may just chuck them and start over or beg my brother to make them for me in time to get them to the gallery by Jan. 21st and just not try and show one on Saturday.

And then Abby texted me to see if I would lead the yoga class tonight or she would have to cancel. She asked me on Monday too but I declined as I was glad to have the extra hours in the shop so no yoga. But today with my frustration I agreed. I needed to get out of the shop, away from the source of my discouragement, and focus on peace of mind and body. It was a small class, just three besides myself but they always enjoy it when I lead. So it did me good. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day. I'm letting go of the unnecessary anxiety.

Thursday...Got back from SHARE and went over to check on my shadow boxes and they didn't look that bad but I still didn't want them glossy. So I used the black acrylic paint to get in the corners, which was matte, and then sprayed one with the clear matte finish and it wrinkled the black paint in one corner where it was thick and left a cloudy surface in some places. Sprayed it again, cloudy surface gone but paint wrinkled in three corners. Sprayed the second one with the clear matte finish and it had areas that were cloudy when I closed the shop. Fuck it. I can't use these, don't have any more time to deal with them, I'm tossing them in the trash. I just wasted two weeks when I could have filled the luna moth mold.

But black was definitely the right choice. Here they are in place before I used the clear matte spray.


Came straight to the house and texted my brother, who lives in Washington state and who is an excellent woodworker with all the right tools, about making the shadow boxes for me like he did the ones for the feathers. They'll look much better, more professional, and he can do it for me in time to get them finished and off to the gallery for their botanical show in February.

I did decide on the arrangement for the pieces I'm taking which will hang on my display but I still have to move the hangers around (and switch the position of two of the feathers).



Friday...Big push today, last day to get prepared, put the display stand together (that's first on the agenda) and then dismantle it, figure out my pricing and get my tags made, get everything I need packed and preferably loaded in the car by end of day. 



11 comments:

  1. You're right- black is best. Stunning! And your brother will do a good job and all will be well. But yes- I know you feel as if you wasted a week. If I said, "It's the journey, not the destination," would you want to slap me? Yeah. Probably. Well. Sorry. I don't blame you.
    I will also say that the destination in this case is going to be incredibly glorious.

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  2. As I am reading this, I just know it will all turn out OK! Yet. I truly got tense and uncomfortable at the frustration you described. I told myself, if she gives up art, she can write about it!

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  3. I'm sorry you worked so hard & ended up having to pitch the boxes. They're going look amazing though - that black is perfect.

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  4. It all looks beautiful to me. Those feathers are so lovely. Good luck with the show tomorrow. I am looking forward to reading about it went for you. Take care and stay safe.

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  5. I have a new appreciation for the amount of effort that goes into these shows. I do love the feathers

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  6. I admire the heck outta you. And give your self time to unpack at the other end. :)

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  7. Well done, Ellen! You are a champion and your work just makes me full of awestruck joy. Good that your brother will bail you out for the February show.

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  8. That's why I practice yoga, too. Everything feels more balanced after yoga. Now I'm sensing that your art work reflects something of what you benefit from in your yoga practice. Your art work would be right at home in a yoga studio or meditation hall. I'm particularly drawn to the your trumpet flowers.

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  9. Sounds like yoga was a good choice. And getting an expert wood worker to make new boxes. Well, you did establish, among all the frustration that black was right. So there's that.

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  10. Good luck with the show! Hope you enjoy it!

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  11. Your work is beautiful, your attention to detail is certainly part of it. So your brother is an artist too. Love that.

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.