The Month in Which Nothing Gets Done

It's been that kind of month. Where everything happens and nothing really productive gets done.

I have a few new projects/commissions and I'm slowly plugging away at them (I don't have a rushed deadline). Found a new apartment, but now have to plan for the move. I've been painting, cleaning, organizing and purging. Yet nothing feels to be done. Really quite a frustrating feeling.

I ought to be excited and proud of what I have accomplished (2 oil paintings in the works, 2 garbage bags, 2 bags to the second hand store, and 3 bags of recycling). I suppose it must be the stress of everything!

The commission is a portrait (much like the portrait of my cat from a few posts ago) of a client's two dogs; Bailey and Buzz. They are really quite cute, but difficult as they are Jack Russels and they're sleeping!! I'm resisting the temptation of posting a WIP, however I don't want this SOMEHOW getting back to my customer's husband. It is supposed to be his birthday present after all! Would kind of spoil the surprise!

As soon as I am done however and my client has the painting in hand, I'll post the entire process. I find it interesting to see where I started to where I finished and how I got there.

Till next time :)

Norman Rockwell

To most illustrators, Norman Rockwell defines the essence of the Golden Age of Illustration. Not only did he do countless covers of The Saturday Evening Post, he also painted some of the most iconic imagery that we still recognize today!
"Freedom from Want" 1943

He also managed to define the American culture for people in a way that the population could really see and digest!

The reason I am prattling on about Mr.Rockwell is that today, in one of the world's forgotten and dinkiest mall's, I found a Saturday Evening Post from 1927. With a Norman Rockwell cover. I was SO excited when I saw it I could barely contain myself. I then proceeded to gently pull the cover out from its protective plastic, only to find out that it was in fact a print, like a Wal-Mart, Cost-co generic print. Can I tell you how deflated I was? All the wind and excitement had been blown right out of me. I had found a treasure (or at least what I consider to be a treasure) only to have it snatched away.

I begged the salesman if he happened to have any originals, he gave me a negative and I walked away. Not two minutes later, the salesman came over to show me a "print" that was, for some unknown reason, priced higher than the others. I pulled it out only to find the back had a Del Monte add from 1927.

Long story short, I am now the proud owner of a August 13th, 1927 Saturday Evening Post Cover!

"Dreams of Long Ago" 1927

Cheers :)