View from Green & Taylor
View from Green & Taylor
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My friend Praneeth asked me how I made this painting. I figured the best way to explain the full process would be to journal my last 24 hours.
A week ago, an unlimited day at the studio with no preoccupations of work would have seemed like a daydream.
But now t’was wrapped in nightmare. SF shut down, the cafe closed, my upcoming exhibition opportunities canceled, one month of money left.
The world in pandemic.
6pm
Arrival at the studio with a half cooked canvas.
8pm
12am
Liszt, Schubert, Full Freedom.
Best time I ever had,
worst painting I ever made.
3am
Never. painting. again.
Washed my brushes.
Tried to sleep. Failed.
Read Dante istead.
Should have brought a blanket.
8am
Rise and Shine!
Change it up!
EXPERIMENTATIONSTATION!
9am
Switch gears.
Resume the work proper.
A memory of February.
A beautiful city blue, blue everything, a light leaving pink as the sun sets. Lights in the distance.
10 am.
MORE EXPERIMENTATIONSTATION!
Texture and mood.
10:30am.
Washed my brushes again. Cleaned up studio. Spilled black ink.
MORE EXPERIMENTATIONSTATION!
Cleanup rag looking crazy.
11am.
Took a Walk.
Talked to Marina for an hour.
Wherever I set up studio, I always bring my guardian sculpture. My friend Claire suggested I make it in 2015 from marble. The sculpture protects the studio from physical and metaphysical harm.
1pm
Return to the studio.
Lunch: blueberry bran muffin, bananas, water, Coke.
Reflection on monetary matters.
2pm
Video time.
3pm
Time to start to bring it all together.
Put windows on the buildings. Soften the gradient. Hint at the city between water and buildings.
Keep it simple, stupid.
4pm
Gonna let the paint dry before the final touches.
Washed my brushes again.
Compared with prior work.
4:30pm
Smoke break.
5pm
Change of mind. Not going to let the paint dry.
Full flow.
Complete synesthetic expression of last 24 hours. Rapid connection of all points, techniques and ideas. Conscious thought supressed while working with full command.
The juxtaposition of the initial sentiments becomes the theme. The striving dancer canceled - our society in precarious balance. The blackness of the viral pest, the vibrancy of human strength.
The Liszt inspired arrangement of little blue and yellow squares become the lit windows.
The wispy blend of colours become the night lit waves.
The textural underpainting of the tree is brought foward through contrast with dashes of crimson.
A drawing of a memory turns into a painting of the present. A rosey dance meets with deep blue black.
San Francisco in a precarious balance continues its dance in quarantine cure.
All lights on. Everyone home.
7pm
Washed my brushes and left the studio.
View from Green & Taylor
16" x 20", oil on canvas. March 19th , 2020.
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