First One Done

I got one of the kokeshi doll paintings done. I haven't painted in awhile, and at first I had a wave of panic, thinking, "Oh no, I've forgotten how to paint!" But it came back to me. My old hair dryer I have used since about 1988 for drying watercolors started to make a bad burning smell and it bit the dust. It's ok, I had a backup. My aunt Ruth told me that she got the first set of dolls in Sendai and that they are probably not a wedding pair, since the brides traditionally wear black.

Here's my treasure chest of watercolors. There's just something about tubes of paint that gives me almost a visceral thrill. I have these cool wooden boxes that my friend Jack gave me years ago that were from Cocolat. They were originally filled with the best chocolate truffles. Alice Medrich sold the company to some guys who turned out to be Scientologists and they ran it into the ground. Too bad. So this is really like a treasure chest, especially when you consider the cost of art supplies too.

I have this really ancient watercolor palette that I still am using since art school days. The plastic is brittle and cracking, but I just can't give it up. And the paint on the handles of my favorite brushes is cracking off, but I can't find these particular brushes in any of the art supply stores anymore, so I just keep using them. I remember once during a drawing group session, when I looked at this old box of conte crayons that I had kept for decades, and said to the model, "I have art supplies older than you!"

Ok, now onto the 5 more paintings...