Wednesday, June 6, 2012

tempered ( oil on canvas )

*private collection


    Yes, artists have problems too. We’re just ordinary creators who encounter problems that may appear strange to extraordinary people. Today my problem is how to cope with an almost dried up jar of cerulean. I don’t want to throw it away just like that because it is my favorite color. And this leads to the real problem which is to find a way to make it work. I know there must be some solvent or retarder out there that you can mix and make the pigment come alive again. Earlier I tried the most abundant and universal solvent of all which is tap water but unfortunately it’s not strong enough to awaken the pigment from its poisoned sleep. Now I don’t know what to do? I have to come up with a solution because imported pigments are very expensive and throwing it away is not a good idea especially in a third world country where fine art is almost exclusively for the rich and high art can only be seen in the city thus making it a digestible elitist cliché. It’s a great pity and oddly enough, in this age of computer graphics if you go out there in the rural areas fine art is as rare as water in Sahara. I know art appreciation doesn’t come out naturally; it’s an acquired taste like music and literature. And like this hardened jar of paint, you have to work at it. But hey, I think I have an idea? Maybe hot water will do the trick! Same way it melts sugar and coffee together in a cup.
 
     So here’s he drill: You boil…you wait…and you pour. Patience is key, then you have to wait some more ‘til you see the pigment slowly melting like an iceberg under a big hole in the ozone layer. Steam rises gracefully out of the jar just like a freshly brewed coffee which makes me want to look into it and smell,  hoping it has an aroma of retribution or something that will give me some sort of rush to start the day. Then after a few sec - Bingo! A perfectly tempered paint and thanks to hot water my cerulean is fluid again like a big blue in a happy jar.

     I know my problem is not something major and extraordinary people would laugh about this kind of thing but please don’t ever call it weird.                 

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