Somebody in my household loves to do puzzles – words, numbers, it doesn’t matter. For spelling bees and crosswords, I’m the closer. Cryptograms don’t usually interest me, but he solved one recently that struck me. It said “summer used to last forever when you were a kid. Now it’s only 12 weeks.” And this one really flew!
Even for newly retired people, we’re still in that rhythm that says summer is for relaxing, especially in New England. It means outdoor concerts and craft shows, baseball, boats and bicycles, sitting and sipping on the porch, the O’Neill playwrights conference and, for us, a traditional week with our eldest granddaughter.
One of the things she immediately requested was an art project with me. Besides being flattering, it was a lot of fun. It forced me to articulate what I was doing and why, often by encouraging her to follow her instincts. I had to remind her – and me – that a painting can almost always be changed, that the process is supposed to be fun, and that it can involve happy accidents.
Working with her, I did several rough paintings of a tiny village on the Canal du Midi in southern France. I’d painted it before, so didn’t fuss with details, trying to keep it loose, free and somewhat messy. Not a grand success, but the paintings have potential, and it was a good lesson. On the other hand, having her name in lights on the Garde’s marquee was a hit. My paintings of the Garde will be on view there starting tomorrow, when this venerable theater celebrates its 100th anniversary with a re-enactment of its grand opening!
Thanks, Sue, for the compliments AND the memories!
As always, I love your post and your painting! So glad you got to spend this quality art-making time with your granddaughter. My own 5-year old granddaughter loves to color and draw and my fridge is covered with her “artwork!” Congrats on having your paintings on view at The Garde! I remember how much fun we had going here for the Indigo Girls with our husbands years ago. So glad your brilliant art will be on display there!