Day 43

I wanted to be sure to get this thing knocked out before the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and just squeaked in under that deadline (thanks in part to the Digital Video Recorder). I love the winter Olympics. My mom got me figure skating lessons when I was around 11 years old; my birthday celebration that year included a trip to see Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton (who did a QUADRUPLE backflip that night!) and other amazing skaters perform. It was awesome. In fact, it still ranks up there as probably the best birthday celebration yet.

As any woman in a relationship who is a fan of figure skating knows, it can be tough to garner TV time at home for this sport. The costumes are exceedingly ridiculous (or impressive tailoring feats of rhinestone and spandex, depending on how you look at it), and despite the panty-shots, I think figure skating generates cranky chemicals in the brains of heterosexual men that causes them to whine and complain until the channel is changed. But when the Olympics are on, this attribute seems to be lessened due to the competitive weight of the event. I’m no neurophysicist (do those even exist, or did I just make it up?), but I’m pretty sure this theory would hold water if lab-tested. 

Today’s piece is a painting on 8”x10” canvas, and features the Baker & Hamilton building on 2^nd St. in Old Sacramento. I didn’t add the lettering on the building because my hands weren’t cooperating. You have to hold super still and draw perfectly straight lines- in this case, combined with perspective drawing, which I really do loathe, believe it or not- and that was not happening. Virtually this entire piece was really painful to complete- and I mean that in a literal sense.

Yesterday when making salsa, I decided it would be a fabulous idea to seed the Serrano pepper with my FINGERS (thumb and forefinger, to be exact), so since that moment of brilliance, whenever I grasp something like a paintbrush or a piece of charcoal, the sensitive skin under my nails starts to burn. So call it an excuse, or laziness, or whatever you will, but for now- no lettering. Happy Friday, and enjoy the fabulous Winter Olympics courtesy of our neighbors up north!

P.S. I think we neutralized the burning with some baking soda/water slurry, in case you ever do this. But I’d recommend you learn from my fail and use a spoon instead.  

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