Office Phantasm

I am closing in on finishing another work, shown above. When it is dry enough to hang it on the wall, I will decide if it is in fact completed. There may be yet a few finishing touches to do, I am not quite sure. At the very least, I will probably touch up the edges with color, or a fresh coat of gesso.

The canvas frame is home made, and quite deep at 1.5”. I don’t think this painting will ever have a frame on it. With such a deep edge, I was able to move the two rear frame supports well back of the canvas surface, which is a big plus for me. I am not exactly a delicate painter. I am, in fact, a bit physical with the canvasses at times. Sometimes as I work, I tend to press through to the support bars in the rear, leaving paint impressions on the front of the canvas which I loathe. At those times I have to reach around to the rear and press the canvas forward, aggressively working the front with brushes or rags to remove any unwelcome traces of those impressions left by the wood. I am tempted to make more of my own canvas frames, because this one turned out solid as a brick, not to mention, that I can have total control of the size of the finished work.

As for the content of the painting, I think I may be working out some unresolved feelings with respect to my work-life. I may have some feelings that I don’t know where to put, but, at least I can put them on a canvas. For me, there is something reminiscent of Goya here, and that has to be a good thing.

I think it was Isadora Duncan who said that, under no circumstances is it for an artist to judge their own work. That is for others to do. What a relief! The only judgment that I need to make is whether or not to hang the work on my wall. If I want to see the painting every day, well, that says something.