Return of the Prodigal Paintings

The last month of the year in any business, large or small, usually means inventory and clearance. I had been too unwell for years to do the kind of inventory and clearance required to keep my studio under control, well equipped and uncluttered. This year, however, still being mindful of the fact that I am running this body at about 30% of its former capabilities, I decided to tackle the problem of an overhaul. That actually required starting in October, due to my slow and awkward limbs. Yet even at 30%, some things can be accomplished.

Although it took five years and the help of a friend, I was finally able to get my unsold paintings back from Beaufort. All of them needed some form of repair, some more than others. I discarded two frames and restored another frame. A painting of an old shed in Blackville had paint torn off the top so I patched that up.

The two remaining paintings required extra work. One needed to be repainted entirely. I was never happy with it and am not surprised that the dull colors and bad frame caused people to pass it by. I repainted it entirely, changing the scene from spring to autumn.

As the grisaille on a small painting dries, I turn to that fifth painting, which I will also paint over again, almost from scratch. Scratch is indeed the operative word here because I noticed several large grooves in the ground underneath the painting that unfortunately appeared through the surface. They remind me of the scratches I used to make in spackling compound when I worked in construction.

Recalling those years spent trying to get spackling on sheet rock smooth, I’ve decided to go at this last painting with an eye towards construction. I sanded down the best I could, filled in the offending grooves, then sanded again. Body willing, today I’ll paint that last one over again.