... or what happens when we get the cousins together for the infamous "Painting Night."
Awhile back, I was tapped to be the "guest artist" for the month at a local coffee shop near where I live.
I knew I would print and frame some of my favorite photos from around the world, as well as some of my "Picture It Local, Oklahoma!" faves.
At first, I did not think of printing, framing, and displaying some of my artwork as well.
When I actually started taking stock of the walls I needed to cover in the coffee shop, I realized that I would need to hang more of my pieces than I originally thought.
Looking beyond my photos, I knew I definitely wanted a wall dedicated to my "Scenes and Scripture" pieces, which are photographs of scenes throughout Israel with related verses from the Bible overlaid in English and Hebrew (at least I think - and hope - the Hebrew is correct... it's a language I am definitely still learning).
Once I started working out which of these particular prints I wanted to display, I also thought of a Hebrew calligraphy watercolor painting I had done quite a few years back. I had photographed it and done a little bit of color enhancing with my digital software. (I'm a Corel PSP user - not a Photoshop gal. I also recently began using Luminar by Skylum... love it!)
After deciding that I wanted to include some of my "artistic photographs", the progression naturally followed that I would include a few of my pencil drawings, also digitally enhanced using Corel PSP.
And then I came across Wilson. I had forgotten about Wilson. I had put Wilson inside a plastic bag and stuffed him behind some never-used items in my closet.
Wilson, as he is known to me because of an unplanned and uncanny resemblance to said character in the movie "Castaway," is not really named Wilson. Well, the volcano can be named Wilson because it is a fictional volcano. I don't think there is actually a Volcano Wilson. I know there is a Mount Wilson and also a Wilsons Promontory in Australia (I've seen it!). Wilson Volcano? I don't think it exists.
I digress, which probably explains how this painting came to be. Oh yes, the painting! The painting itself is officially dubbed "The Congolmerate," because that is exactly what it is. On second thought, perhaps I should have named it "The Digression".... which I am doing yet again.
The Conglomerate...
What a wonderful pastoral scene we have unfolding before us - a meadow of grass and colorful flowers punctuated by a footpath and quaint wood and stone bridge over a meandering brook...and, naturally, an erupting volcano. And what IS that thing that looks like a fried egg in the sky?
Maybe the better question is "why in the world would I ever decide to include this digression of a fried egg with a Wilson-esque volcano with flowers a kindergartener could draw with one eye closed and one hand tied behind her back and a bridge that would collapse in real life if it was engineered this way...not to mention the brook with water swirling in impossible and very square-ish directions?! (What? Now you've become an art critic, Gina?)
Yes, it's a very good question (the one about the wisdom of my decision, not the one about critiquing art). And not a bad story.
Here's the story... of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very (not lovely girls)... artistic boys. This lady happens to be my cousin. She has a large garage. She has a son who received a painting kit for a birthday or Christmas or some such gift-giving-type holiday. She has siblings who also have children. And she has a cousin (me) who loves to hang out with the fam and do some fab fam stuff. She also has been in the habit of attending these trendy and cool and popular "Paint some stuff and eat snacks and drink wine" type of social gatherings.
So she had this great idea: get some of the fam together in the garage, provide the paint and snacks and a few ideas of something to paint, and enjoy the quality time. Not to mention the multitude of inexpensive (but worth more than money could buy!) artwork created by such an evening.
It was a hit! I think I painted from a photo of two sunflowers. Someone else did a painting (hand painting) of the Superman logo.... and the table... and part of the floor. Someone else started a painting of some professional sports team logo (can't remember which, and I don't think he ever finished it). And then there was an abstract piece of brilliance that I can't even begin to describe (it was so abstract that I can't remember it).
This "Painting Night" (creative name!) became a solid family tradition. Some family came and went. Some came and watched TV. Some came and ate all the snacks. Most came to paint, and stayed until the bitter end, the pumpkin-turning time, the "won't-be-worth-anything-tomorrow-at-work" time.
The last one I attended - before all the kids started graduating and going away to college, bringing the tradition to a sad close - took a turn that I did not expect and was not prepared to handle, which is how Wilson ended up stuffed in a sack in my closet.
I did not arrive with any ideas of what I was going to paint. I had my blank canvas, a plate of snacks, and no clue whatsoever. I asked if anyone had any ideas of what I should paint.
Bad idea...or good idea. Depends on what you think of the above result.
First someone said "a field of flowers at sunset."
Fine. I can do that. Okay, good idea! That's what I'll do.
Someone else added, "and put in a creek or something."
And then someone else said "with a bridge - you know, like those old-timey stone bridges."
Okay, sure. Great additions! This will be so cool!
And then I heard "and a volcano - erupting." I knew who said it before I even turned around. He has a warped sense of humor. I couldn't say no to one person and not to another! I had asked for ideas and had agreed to do whatever they came up with.
So it began....
In the end, I did manage to include every item that had been listed. Without looking at any prompts or pictures, without looking up the engineering basics of building stone bridges (obviously), without having any true idea of what an erupting volcano would actually look like. And apparently having forgotten how to paint a sunset (thus the "fried egg in the sky").
I made a brave attempt at appearing halfway professional. Then someone dubbed my poor attempt at a volcano "Wilson," and that was my cue to hit the road, pride not at all intact (nowhere in sight). Wilson dried overnight on the kitchen table, and the next morning I quite literally gave him the sack and didn't think of him again until....
Well, now you know the rest of the story.
Except maybe the answer to the question above: why would I choose to include "The Conglomerate" in the collection I displayed in PUBLIC for everyone to see and critique (and laugh at)?
Hmmm. Not sure I have an answer to that. I guess once I started to play with Wilson on my photo editing software, I gained a soft spot for him. I guess I don't mind claiming him as my own now.
Maybe I should think of naming him something besides Wilson.... NAH! It's all good!