Gathering people in a pandemic

    Artists are known for their imaginations, creating worlds they want on canvas or letting worlds create themselves on canvas or the page. I paint people and my house is full of them.

     When I first arrived in Belmont, I went to a home with a huge Robert Freeman painting of At the Party or one in his Tuxedo series. I wanted one of RF's paintings in my living room since it would be a party around the clock. Beautiful black and white tuxedos, red and blue w dancing figures, life-size or bigger. Instead, I have Linda and the Painting Teachers and a number of Last Supper compositions with modern art themes and artists.But plenty of people, family and others!

    During this Covid-19 pandemic, our lives seem not too different; because although alone, we are surrounded by people in paintings. Joe is retired, we are home a lot with our dog Harry, and both enjoy reading and making things. To mitigate the virus curve we are under orders from our children to stay at home for protection of ourselves and others...to stay alive and not to kill. The only challenge is to find a grocer's time slot when food can be ordered and delivered. We enjoy new recipes for meals. We have no guests; but with paintings and photos, we are surrounded by people, not just in Facetime or Zoom, but on the walls in every room. The other night, I lingered at a painting of the family in a bedroom and the enormity of the pandemic FINALLY hit me.

      All of a sudden I realized life has changed and we won't see our grandchildren in the same way. What about their disrupted lives? Things are very different and the immensity is staggering and poignant. Despite having continuous news, living away from the front lines, we slowly realize the shock and enormity. Looking at the paintings and photos both comfort and disturb. Painting a new world might console and inspire. Art has a way. (Click to enlarge photos.)

      

    

     

    

Paintings Cleaned? and Delivered to Temporary Housing

   Temporary excitement! The painting cleaner/restorers delivered 6 of my 50 or so paintings that needed to be cleaned after the fire. Insurance paid to have them removed from the frames, vacuumed and wiped. A few days after the fire I was told the paintings must go to these restorers in Newton, even though I said surely I can clean them myself. We waited and waited for the pick up, insurance payout and cleaning. I was so excited to get some of them yesterday. Last night Joe and I nailed them up only to have our fingers marked with soot or residue from the smoke. Not what we expected.

    Joe and I put Miles to Go Before I Sleep with myself surrounded by favorite artists, painted in their own styles, over the dining room table in our temporary housing. Several tables in the dining room now, with plenty of company! We draped Bounce sheets on the hanging wire, not to cover the hint of smoke smell, but maybe to neutralize the odor somehow. Seems to work a bit. The company said they can't ozone the paintings because it lightens the colors. I might risk it. They didn't feel they could remove canvas. Huh? The company volunteered to try again, but I want my paintings now! Maybe the next paintings will be cleaned better.

     The next painting was Linda and the Painting Teachers,  installed over my new little Yamaha with real piano key touch. Note the earphones so no one in our temporary apartments has to listen to me play the piano. I work from a salvaged book of son Bill's classical pieces brought to my level of expertise: Classics to Contemporaries, early grade piano pieces selected and compiled by Marie Hill.  I ordered Reader's Digest's books of songs arranged and edited by Dan Fox. Dan Fox is the name to remember. His arrangements of popular and beloved songs are wonderful and manageable. The piano is so relaxing.

      Finding more soot was not a thrill. A simple swipe along the edge of the painting to the frame seemed so easy to accomplish at minimum?...a wipe with white cloth over the painting gave a brown cast to cloth. What to do. And they recommended varnishing my paintings...over this? Maybe to cut the action? Smoke is damaging. Much to learn. Google!
I will see what I can find out at the museum.