First Impressions

Back in August I was going through a local thrift store when I came across a very large painting for ten dollars. The painting was done in an abstract fashion with globs of paint strewn about in passive and bland colors, art I would consider suitable for a dentist's office or a bank. I didn't purchase the painting for the painting itself but for the canvas. I'm not a strong painter. I haven't had much instruction in this particular area and I typically work on small canvases, so I thought I'd step out of my comfort zone and paint over this hideous painting. When I placed it in my workshop I began painting strange representations of three women in 1930's fashion doing different things like drinking wine and spreading gossip, one had a face expressing ecstasy, and the other wasn't figured out yet. Then, while working on the third woman, something else started to form and a new painting began emerging.Immediately as the third woman began to take form I knew where I was going with the painting, as if the painting already existed and I was just uncovering it from years of accumulated dust.

The canvas had a peculiar way of absorbing the paint and not letting it adhere. The globs of paint were difficult to avoid or address but it adds texture to the painting, which appeases me.

I was influenced by Impressionist artists like Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Manet, Munch and Picasso's blue period. While we were in Paris and the Musee d'Orsay I was overwhelmed by how close I could get to my heroes work. I wanted to pay homage to that style and so I added some symbolism to this piece and I'm curious to see how people interpret the piece.
I'd like to do many more in this style and have another exhibit in Akron somewhere. You're all invited if this happens.This is how it looks now propped up on a bookshelf in my office. I can't say that it is finished but I can say that I'm done with it.
I wish I would have started the recording process earlier, if I do something this large again I'll have to.