Well, my latest trip contained the best and worst of
everything. I speak of course, of my recent excursion to
Pasadena where they all came to see the Dude do a live painting demonstration
during the opening exhibit at the Linus fine-art gallery.
With Gino at the steering wheel, we left early on Friday
morning as we made the 7 hr. drive from Phoenix to CA to prepare
for my demo that night. We checked in to our hotel, reviewed the sights of
some old familiar stomping grounds, said hello to Max the dik, and arrived at
the already-hopping gallery by 6:00 p.m.
As I applied the first strokes of paint on canvas, they
watched the Main Man, dressed not in his usual attire of artist's
smock and paint-stained clothes, but in my finest suit, dress shirt,
slacks, and shiny black wing tips, as they all watched me produce...an
absolute failure.
Yes, friends. Gone were the trumpets of triumph
when I completed the final strokes that would've netted me the glowing
reviews and cover of American Artist, while driving home with
buckets of cash hanging from every oversized pocket. No.
Not only did the painting stink, but it gathered not a single
bid from the Gucci-attired high-society masses who are there to
purchase such things. Yes, friends, despite the accolades from other
friends, and attending artists on my "success"--for at least having been
brave enough to attempt such thing--the Dude himself, went home in shame,
never to carve the roast beast.
Thankfully, tomorrow was another day.
Upon arriving home, I took a wealth of notes on my
abysmal failure and how to improve upon it for next time. With a
couple sweeps of my turpentine stained cloth, I swiftly obliterated the entire
offending image from the previous night, and set about to make a new attempt of
preserving what might still be left of my former reputation.
Armed with the experience of just having painted directly
from the model, and standing by with the several handy reference photo' having
been taken earlier for just such a contingency, I will once again, try
again.
HOW WILL IT TURN OUT?
As always, stay tuned.
Still stinging from the agony of defeat,
The humble Dude
