I don't know what came over me. Recently I slapped some gesso on a couple of old canvases. The stuff (can't really call it art) I was covering wasn't bad but it was an experience from another time and space and besides; new canvases cost a lot.
And I suppose one of the reasons I did this is because we all get caught up in everyday sh*t that keeps us away from doing stuff just for ourselves. And while most of the time it may not be too important to do that, sometimes it is.
After everything was white, the canvases were left to dry a few days and a large one was put on the wall of the bedroom blank. It's happy there for a while, mainly because it goes with the sheets. And one of the other two smaller canvases got picked to be the next victim.
They say the important thing about things you do for yourself lies in the 'doing' (as opposed to the final product). And after some sketches and deciding my approach I gathered the implements (retrieved from storage hell) and set to work. As I began I noticed that as careful as I had been with the gesso some of the texture of the old work still showed through. So the old stuff wasn't entirely gone. That was kinda nice.
Here it is to date. It's not done yet. But the basic idea is there. A person contemplating the proverbial high dive into a small vessel. A seemingly impossible act. I may add a small umbrella to the chap's other hand, just to cushion his fall... If I ever get it done I'll post the finished piece.
In the meantime, I invite everyone thinking of painting over things in their lives and starting fresh to join me in an act of exploration. And don't be bummed if some texture from the old work shows through. It adds character.
Cheers, Rand
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