Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Sometimes They Sneak Up On You

The Quiet One—approximately 20 x 23 inches on four vintage clapboards.

M Y  A R T — Some of my pieces shine from the first touch of brush to wood. They scream and shout their need for life and practically grab the raw materials out of my hands on their way to maturity. Others fight me every step of the way, rejecting the paint, bubbling the paper printouts, giving me splinters, and all manner of problems. In fact my process usually consists of trying to save the piece, during which it becomes so much greater than I imagined in the first place. This one however, was different. 

This piece just kept motoring along, peacefully accepting everything I threw at it, never complaining, and never grabbing the limelight for itself. The paint went on perfectly. The images worked themselves out the first time. The accents practically threw themselves on it from the floor, from out of my print boxes, from out of the paint bottles. Until the very end. Until the last few tiny squares of paper were affixed to it, until the last few stripes of paint dried, until the last sanding and clearcoating was done.

Then it was like a halogen pinpoint spotlight was turned on it. It revealed itself to be one of my favorite pieces at the very end of the process. It came into its own at the last second. For that reason, it became The Quiet One, and was promptly sold and on to its next life in someone else's home, lol. Long Live the Quiet Ones!

8 comments:

  1. Funny...it even has a "peaceful" look to it! Do you know where it is now? I wasn't sure if you sold to "just anyone" or if you had a need for them to go to "good homes" as you put so much heart, soul (and I feel I might be correct that you also put in blood and sweat at times!!)
    mare

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  2. A friend of Mary's bought it. I just like to have a person see my pieces in person. They're much different in person, when you see all of the details and textures. I've had people see one piece in Flickr, then come over and decide on another piece that they didn't consider in person. I've never had anyone dislike them in person, just pick a different one that they liked more. I want the buyer to love a piece, and I'm afraid that if someone didn't see it in person they might not once they had it in their home. and shipping is expensive!

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  3. THIS PICTURE MAKES ME THINK OF WINTER AND SPRING WITH A TOUCH OF HUMAN. I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO PICK.I GET CHILLS WHEN I LOOK AT THEMS BECAUSE THERE SO NEAT. YOUR MOM AND DAD WOULD BE SO PROUD OF YOU. I THINK I SAID THAT BEFORE.

    TIME FOR AN AFTERNOON NAP. THEN TO DINNER WITH THE KIDS. CATCH YO LATER.

    GRANNY

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  4. CASEY, HAVE YOU EVER DONE A PICTURE CONCERNING AIDS? JUST WONDERING. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT PASSED WITH AIDS.I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BUT A FEW YEARS BACK THERE WAS A FAMILY AND THEIR BOYS HAD AIDS. THEY WERE SMALL CHILDREN. THE PEOPLE IN THEIR TOWN SHUUNED THEM TO THE POINT THEY HAD TO MOVE JUST SO THEY COULD GO ON WITH THEIR LIFE. THIS WAS WHEN EVERYONE WAS AFRAID TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH A PERSON WITH AIDS. IF I REMEMBER, I THINK THEY HAVE DIED ONE BY ONE OVER THE YEARS. I'M NOT 100% SURE BUT I THINK I'M RIGHT. SO SAD. I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE THOSE QUILTS OUT OF CLOTH AND DEDICATE THEM TO THE PEOPLE WITH AIDS THAT HAVE PASSED. SOME I THINK ARE BIG ENOUGH TO COVER A BASBALL FIELD. JUST WONDERFUL.

    GRANNY

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  5. yes, I've known too many people to count, including my best friend and many close friends. i'd say it is my generation of gay men that have been hit hardest since the early '80s. i'd say every piece of art of mine is in part a tribute to those that aren't here now to experience this later part of their lives. i think of my late best friend every day, several times a day. i've never seen one of the quilts in person, but they're quite amazing, really.

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  6. CASEY, THANKS FOR THE REPLY.I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE IN PERSON BUT I'VE SEEN THEM IN THE NEWS ON TV. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL ART. THE LOVE THAT GOES INTO EACH SQUARE AND THE THOUGHT IS MIND BOGGLING.. I THINK THOSE QUILTS SHOULD GO INTO ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL AND GIVE THE BULLIES A LESSON OF WHAT REAL SUFFERING IS ALL ABOUT.I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WORSE CANCER OR AIDS. I'VE NEVER KNOW ANYONE WITH AIDS.CANCER, YES MANY.
    YOUR A VERY SENSITIVE PERSON. IT COMES ACROSS IN HOW YOU WRITE YOUR STORIES AND YOUR ARTWORK. LOVE IT.

    GRANNY

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  7. The most successful pop-duo of all time, Pet Shop Boys
    has written a song about a friend dying of AIDS and takes us on a journey of his own personal life in regards in glamor, sorrow, jealousy and success.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oae3M4EBdEE


    Hope all of you enjoy!

    Woody

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  8. Thanks, Granny. and thanks Woody, too. I didn't realize that Pet Shop Boys were that successful! I hadn't heard their music in a long time until this video. Thanks so much!

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