[MD] French ingredient in the soup of sentiments

[MarshaV]

At 09:41 AM 5/6/2006, Platt wrote:

>P.S. Produced any quality art lately? I'm in a slump, suddenly afraid
>of that blank canvas.

Yes.  At least painting it was a quality experience.  I finished the 
painting of three old woman knitting.  They're all knitting on the 
same skein of blood red yarn and it winds out through a barred window 
towards infinite space.  And, of course, there's a full moon in that sky.

I've started another painting of a very young ballerina.  She's 
sitting on a dance floor looking pensive and innocent.  I haven't 
worked on this one for a few weeks.  There's been other things to do, 
but she's always in my mind.

When I get stuck, I do studies, lots of little 8x10 canvas board 
studies of anything handy. If nothing fires my imagination, I'm still 
learning.  Sometimes I copy a Sargent or Velazquez painting I really 
love.  But at other times, I let the white canvas win and do 
nothing.  In 2003 I was terribly upset about the coming war, I 
couldn't paint.  So I did a painting of John Wayne (from a 
photo).  Painting is wonderful, because when I stop worrying about 
it, sooner or later an idea starts to germinate.

Maybe it's a time for sideways drifting.

Marsha