Tennis Ball

4"x6" oil on masonite panel. • Let's talk relationships, shall we? A little couples therapy. To be more specific, the relationship between the brush I was initially using on this painting and little ol' me. The brush, over reacting as usual, (filberts can be touchy), felt that I was taking it for granted; not paying enough attention to it, not taking it out to eat as much as I used to, not buying it new things, yada, yada, yada. Me? I just wanted to kill the brush (I'm a shallow guy, so my emotions run on the simple side). Suffice it to say, we just weren't getting along and, being the insensitive guy that I am, I switched over to a palette knife, destroying any evidence left by that whiny brush. I am sure the separation will be only temporary, but it does make this painting somewhat unique. I think it is the only 4"x6"—maybe one out of around 700(?)—that I've painted solely using a palette knife. Probably will never happen again, unless that hypersensitive brush starts acting up, gets in a snit and calls its lawyer.  •  A Technical Note: The above was painted using a two-inch palette knife, so, basically, I could have painted the entire surface with just two or three swipes. Palette knife or brush, I tend to use a larger implement than government safety regulations dictate. (Dear Government Regulatory Agency(s)—Please, just let me do it, it is as close to "Living on the edge!" as I will ever get.)
 
Posted August 28, 2013
sold • private collection kennett square, pa