Yes, it’s about time I started a new still life. I’d been laid-up recently but finally I’m getting my old zest back. I’d been wanting to start a new still life project. It always involves a kind of process I go through every time: pussy-footing around for a day or two, mulling over the possibities. On the morning I finally decide to make a start, my ritual involves tackling chores for a while, considering the possibilities. In the summertime I’ll mow the lawn first. Prune the apple trees, weed my flower garden — all the while letting my brain go into a kind of other world. It’s winter here now, blowing snow, bitter temperatures, but this morning I washed the floors, did laundry, washed dishes etc. Finally I slogged through the snow out to the studio and began assembling a new set-up. Sometimes that can take days. Usually the set-ups are about as difficult as doing the actual painting.
My good friend Sue Ann gave me that hand-woven rug last summer. Fabulous colors, but quite a bitch to get the patterns. At first I thought of pairing it with some white (or cream) roses, but that would have meant a 72-mile roundtrip. Naaah! Instead, I pulled out some favorite glass pieces and Indian corn. I used a thin mix of gray to start drawing it in.
My dear cats, Picasso and Mr. Wonderful, hung out with me in the studio today, giving me kitty smiles and purrs of encouragement. What would I do without them?
Margie Guyot Art 