reflection

My 3-week solo parenting adventure officially ended last night.  Of this time with my daughters I can only say that I am filled with tremendous gratitude and have been given life-altering focus from the experience.  I've lived a life I have only dreamed of heretofore; that of being a stay-at-home dad.  Being free from a desk and an office for most of a month has made me see the reality of my current situation with new eyes.  It's given me new perspective on my art career and what needs to be done there.  It is a time I will always remember and cherish, and I hope that my daughters remember it as well; I hope parts of the last 3 weeks will become ingrained in their consciousness -even if they don't remember it clearly.

I look forward to a week in the studio catching up.  Incredibly, I've accomplished a respectable amount of things.  I've gotten 3 coats of gesso on the canvas, as well as building it and sizing it.  I figured out the technique I want to use to translate the small gestures into large ones.  In the process of this journey I happened upon something truly new and I can't wait to see it manifested.

Summer has arrived with her usual vengeance, it was in the mid to high 90's in there this morning.  Interestingly (at least to me) the acrylic gesso dries almost instantly in these conditions, while I'm used to oil paint staying wet for days.  I've got sanding and then another layer of gesso and then at least three layers of alkyd to apply before it sees paint.  I am still surprised at the size of this canvas.

I want to post pictures but they don't offer anything interesting at the moment to anyone but me.

There will be late nights, and undoubtedly reflection on the process as I go forward.  Cigars and night caps, and this massive work will come to life slowly.