Living in the past

Happy, and I'm smiling, walk a mile to drink your water.
You know I'd love to love you, and above you there's no other
We'll go walking out while others shout of war's disaster.
Oh, be forgiving, let's go living in the past.

Once I'd used to join in, every boy and girl was my friend.
Now there's revolution but they don't know what they're fighting.
Let us close our eyes. Outside their lives go on much faster
Oh, be forgiving, we'll keep living in the past.

Oh, be forgiving, let's go living in the past.
Oh, no, no, be forgiving, let's go living in the past.

Jethro Tull

Wet days, like today send me to the past and I rethink people, places, things. I never knwo if that's good or bad. Perhaps a little of both. Music plays a role too and Jethro Tull used to be one of my favourite bands in my youth. They still are in some ways and the classic songs transport me to times when stress didn't exist as a word even less a reality. Or if it did, there was no impact on me.

I pulled out an old portrait that I started about 17 years ago of my father. I don't even know if I can finish it as I don't know if I still have the original reference image that I used. It was to be a surprise birthday gift for him, but it never turned out that way. He died before I could finish it, so it sat unfinished in cupboards and stacked with other paintings. Til now. I've been looking at it and deciding if its worth saving or whether I should just start afresh with a new reference. The canvas is a bit limp but salvageable likely. Acrylic paint was used for the start and its still in fairly good shape, but chipped a little in places. I'll think about it for awhile and consider what to do.

I've been experimenting with charcoal on tinted paper. Soooooooo messy but satisfying all the same. Years ago, I experimented with making my own charcoal using willows which were readily available at the time. It worked but the pieces were a bit large and crumbled easily. Great for large impressionistic pieces but not good for detailed work. I used the textured side of some mi-tientes paper that I had. Its actually a pale brown but the photo shows more grey. I think I'll try the smooth side later as I'm not pleased with the textured look.

Neither of these images have come out well as photographs. Perhaps the dull day has an effect on it. I'll try a scan and see if that comes out better.

And for those needing their baby goose pics, here they are, perched on the grass in the front turning circle of the drive, being cute. The parents are still in attack mode however and go for anything that moves. Tractors, cars, horses, people...

Technorati tags: portrait, acrylic, charcoal, pastel