Tag: phil

Loose Ends

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oils

While waiting for a shipment of paper from Blick art supply to arrive, I have begun tying up a couple of loose ends hanging around the studio. In all fairness, this place has always been and will always be, in a fluid state, constantly evolving into something different…and better. There are at least two spaces on the front wall in need of more built-in shelving. That’s one thing I’ve been doing today. Building one of those remaining shelves that will slide into the wall space to make use of that 12 inches of gap between the stud walls and the insulation of the metal building.

I’m sure, if I studied it for a few more months I could identify other such spaces where I could add sunken shelves, but for now, those 2 on the front wall are all I need to get done.

I keep saying to myself that I will drive over to Daphne and visit Home Depot or Lowes so I can but that darn bathroom door! And I really need to do that. I had tentative plans to do that today, but got sidetracked with that shelf project. The doorway has been covered with a makeshift towel hanging there to give a semblance of privacy when I take a shower in there, and since there is never anyone else around, the building locked doors suffice to give me actual privacy. But a door there would be nice. Another reason for having a door there is to create a totally dark space for doing light sensitive processes in the silk screen and cyanotype works.

The final loose end will take a while longer, and has been a loose end for quite some time, but it still is classified as a loose end because I planned to do it a few years ago and still want to do it because I think it will be a really nice painting. Its the large painting of a child wearing a hat, done in the same style as the self portrait I did some years ago. I at least have moved it onto the easel and take a good look at it several times a week trying to get up the courage to dig in and start painting. One day I will.

Artwork, Studio

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The Last Set-Up

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I got this table from an art supply store in Atlanta back in 1986. Binders is the name of the store. I worked at their picture framing production location in Buckhead at the time and this table was damaged merchandise that I got at a very good price. Since 1986 I have done many, many drawings and small paintings on this very table. Every time I moved to a new living arrangement I would dismantle this table and set it up again as the second piece of furniture…right after the bed, if I had a bed. Once or twice I ended up with just a fold out mattress or futon on the floor. Those were the days!

Once I lived in a large warehouse in the Castleberry district of Atlanta, on Peters Street. While I was there one of our other roommates was hospitalized and died of AIDS. The landlords, a couple, lived there as well in the far end and had a very sweet bulldog named “Big Head”. He really did have a big head, and scared off all the homeless and vagrants that ended up in our parking lot. I had the windows of my vehicle busted out twice while there. And this table was the primary focus of my existence when not at work. I recall doing two major drawings on that table during my time at Peters Street.

I have taken down this table and re-assembled it a lot of times! Each time I hoped would be the last time. Luckily it isn’t hard to take apart and set-up. Just awkward to do by myself, but I find as I do it each time, it brings memories flooding back of times and places where I had it set up to draw on.

The studio portion of my building is almost done inside. I just need to put up all the finished walls over the studs and build in shelves, etc. Of course the bathroom in the front corner is nowhere near complete, but the bathroom is not really necessary for me to work on most things. Moving this drawing table and my file cabinet out to the shop from the house are some the final furnishings I have to install there.

I think this will be the last time I have to set up this drawing table.

Artwork, Studio

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