Arseholes and Hernias and You
Encourage me
Giving me the strength I need
2000 Acrylic on Hardboard 450mm x 600 mm (18" x 24")
New Year's Eve is a gift I'm excited about every year. I want to progress, to put things together better. What am I going to paint that will welcome and define the new millennium?
After Nest is off to bed, before John gets home from work, I light a candle, put it on the edge of my painting table, prop my feet up on it, and relax with lushly produced late night singer Laura Fygi's The End of a Love Affair. Also a greasy Sicilian Black expresso, and a Gauloise cigarette.
It doesn't take long to decide this is damn good, and start drawing - the two white daisies in the yellow and red spotted trendy 1950's sugar bowl Hattie and me bought together. The stems shoelace into and over the top edge.
The warm dark brown floor boards below the edge of the table top, and around and down the right hand corner has its own alluring authenticity, I respect by leaving the light off, and seeing what happens when I start painting by candlelight. It helps moving the candle, in its blue and white enamel bedside holder, closer to the daisies.
The days conversations yell Put us in too Fergus. My other painter buddy, Peter, has a hernia operation to recover from (over New Year). The pain is diabolical, and he's decided its mostly arsehole people who pack the art world, propel its dynamics.
The daisies and candle are, I notice, in a flamenco dance step. The 1900's style candlestick holder's C shaped handle is the man's arms behind him, on the back of his bum, as he thrusts his groin forward. His partner swirls her right hand daisy frilly skirt nearly into the flame of his face. Dangerous! Except that the black gouge of his wick flinches away.
I start the "Arseholes and hernias and" captioning round the edge of the candlestick holder, curving down then up. Into the straight up hopefulness of the word YOU encourage me, giving me the strength I need in my New Year's Day Bible reading.
The red block pushing into the candlestick holder from the bottom? The box of matches is essential - hey its become an escape drawbridge to living life vigorously...