Joe and I can’t stand air conditioning–it feels so fakey phoney! Most of the summer we do well with our big open windows and ceiling fans. But last night I awakened at 12:30 a. m. and could hardly breathe. My asthma, long recumbent, had returned with a vengeance. So we turned on the AC, and we’ve been more comfortable ever since. Above you will see what ridiculous weather we are having, along with having been sans measurable rain for about a month.
I’ve been slacking off blogging because I love to be outdoors and have limited my indoor time to meal preparation and a minimum of household tasks. But today, given AC, indoors is the place to be. The above “Pink Lemonade” rendering seemed to fit today’s mood and climate.
I have recently been super charged with collaging ideas, thanks to books by collage artists Nita Leland and Ann Baldwin. My “Pink Lemonade” began as a watercolor painting (done five years ago) to which I recently added textural elements: tissue paper, unryu, Japanese lace, and extra swipes and spatters of paint.
According to Nita Leland, there is no such thing as a “failed painting”, because something can always be done in terms of added texture, design, and color. With a large “under the bed” box of less than wonderful watercolor paintings, I’m determined to prove Nita’s premise correct. With “Pink Lemonade” as an affirmation, I’m encouraged to continue a summer of adventure in the world of collaging.
Then, to add to the fun, I ran the above painting through my Home Photo Studio—a low key and more economical version of Photo Shop—to produce “Pink Lemonade Enhanced”:
Margaret L. Been, ©2012