Saturday, December 15, 2012

Landscape Pretty Hawaii Don't Let George Get It...

This is a painting that I have been working on for my sister for years. It's really embarrassing how long I have taken to finish this painting, but I have never been satisfied with it enough to let someone else take it.



But a few days ago it looked like this below. Before this last week, I couldn't get the pine trees the way I wanted them. Not a huge change, but it makes me hate it less! I just need to fix the trees in the foreground to my liking still.



Anyway, the reason for that background information is that I had this painting out in the open to work on it this last week...and also so Erin knows that I haven't completely forgotten about this even though I am ridiculous.

Apart from leaving the painting out in front of a 4 year old, I also made the mistake of leaving a paintbrush and some wet paints sitting near it. So, Friday when I was in the shower, this knock came on the door and there was a small voice trying to get my attention. I couldn't tell what she wanted because the shower was on and the fan. I could tell she said something about a painting and wanting to paint. But I just told her that I would have to finish my shower and then I would come out to talk.

Then I went back to my shower, and it quickly donned on me that the painting was out in the open with paints and a brush nearby. And I remembered that Jaime was reading the internets, so the painting was completely unprotected. Jaime is dead to the world when there is internet to be read. So, I quickly finished my shower and came out to find I was too late. She had made some additions to the painting. On the brown path, she had decided there should be grass. Well, I was able to erase her finishing touches, but she was still feeling the painting bug.

So, I found another old painting of a picture of a Hawaiian coast that I had started to paint years ago when I was in college. I didn't care for that painting either and had no plans of ever finishing it, so I brought it out for Tess and I to use.

When we finished, we needed to give it a title:

Me: What should we name it?

Tess: Landscape Pretty. That will be it's first name, what will be it's middle name?

Me: How about Hawaii? So is its last name Alley?

Tess: Um, no...It's last name is Don't Let George Get It.

Me: Landscape Pretty Hawaii Don't Let George Get It. I like it.

Then yesterday, I was asking her about the painting again:

Me: So, do you think our painting is beautiful?

Tess: I think it is pretty. I think it would be more pretty if you hadn't covered up my brown.

To make the painting, I had her try and match colors from the palette with colors on the painting. And then I added a bunch of other colors to brighten up the greens and browns that she used. Big mistake apparently.

And so I present to you Landscape Pretty Hawaii Don't Let George Get It:



I've never been to Hawaii, but I'm pretty sure this captures it pretty well. Jaime, who has been to Hawaii, doesn't agree, but everyone knows she only likes sensual art.

And one of Tess after her artistic triumph:

3 comments:

shelley said...

You're a great dad.

Taking uninterrupted showers is one of the things I miss of my pre-baby life...

LeGrand said...

Well thank you. I've been telling everyone the same thing about me for years. Glad someone agrees!

Oh, uninterrupted bathroom time. I remember it fondly.

Erin aka Conscious Shopper said...

I had really high hopes that I was going to come home from Kentucky and find this painting waiting for me on my back porch...