The above, “Flowers in An End of the Day Glass Vase” was too large (matted to a 16 x 20 outside mat size) to scan, so I had to prop it on a chair and photograph the painting. The painting is a combination of watercolor and gouache (love that stuff!) on YUPO® paper—a synthetic, polypropylene surface.
Normally on YUPO, I begin with no idea in mind. I simply wet the paper, dump paint, and watch the happenings develop. The subject often presents itself and I go from there. Even if no pictures appear in the paint, something triggers a memory in my head and voilà: there is the subject with a title.
Here, however, I sat down to paint with Flowers in An End of the Day Glass Vase in mind. I love art glass, especially that made by the American glass companies of Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Indiana in the glory days of 19th and early 20th century glass production.*
In the industries, End of the Day glass was a composite of left over blobs of gathers (those molten mixtures of sand and whatever in the ovens) literally at the end of the day. These gathers were combined to make one-of-a-kind creations—mottled and streaked with a plethora of colors.
Since I’m frequently tired at the end of the day, that is a perfect time to paint Flowers in An End of the Day Glass Vase!
Margaret L. Been, ©2013
* Sadly, people no longer linger much over beautifully appointed, at-home dinner tables! Elegant home dining is something I grew up with, and have continued to celebrate—but few bother anymore. Hence, our superior American glass makers have dwindled. The last one to hold out is Fenton—the only company, as far as I know, to remain in a family for its history—beginning in 1905.
Beset by financial issues due to the abysmal decline of American elegance and its subsequent dirth of markets for art glass, the Fenton Company has struggled and struggled again, to subsist and continue. The continuance of a glass industry is a strange thing to pray for, but sometimes I do pray for odd things—especially traditions that say a lot because of their implicit quality of life. 🙂
The Messy Palette . . . 