Drudge Work

Here I am in February in Dallas with 5 inches of snow on the ground and it is 15° outside. Water pipe is frozen, but at least I have power. Many don't. I wanted to do more art today, but because I have to do clean up outside, I can't do it. So I am prepping boards and canvases today, and tidying up my studio. 

I take prepping pretty seriously. Over the past few days I have put 2 - 3 coats of PVA size on some raw birch boards and on fine Belgian linen canvases. I do it on both sides and all around the sides, so it has to be done in phases and there has to be a couple of days' drying in between. Next will come the grounds—acrylic gesso for the ones on which I will use acrylic and oil for the oils.

A lot of people tell me that painting is easy, especially abstracts. Maybe it is for them, but not for me. I started a painting (30 x 24 inches) about 10 days ago and have worked on it every day for 1 - 5 hours, so I have quite a bit invested already. I think I am more than half way now through though.