This post is being made after a weeks-long process to legitimize what is known as the "Playing With My Food" series. In January I was doing the #Stradaeasel Challenge, which is a 31-day challenge to paint from life and post on social media every day of the month. I was getting a bit bored about three-quarters of the way through and started to paint food items. It started with a pickle who I left out for several days and dressed up as a pirate with a hat made of construction paper and a peg leg made of toothpick. The paintings then became a sequential story of nonsense that evolved into whatever discounted rotting fruit I could get at the local market for $0.99. You can read more about it here. Anyway, with the Middleton Library show coming up, I decided this could be a fun one to do so that people would find some fun entertainment in addition to the serious-ish plein air work. Trying to determine how to show these pieces with their story in a gallery setting in a way that is fun and post effective is a different challenge. So, off to the thrift stores I went! Locally, there are great stores #vinnysmadtown that carry used canvases!
First, I used this plastic tablecloth I have used and reused for these kinds of projects. Second, I used scrap cloth and Simple Green to wipe off all the canvas' to prepare them for black gesso.
Many of the canvases were commercialized signs with text and/or photos. These are things I already have a natural distaste for, so it was satisfying to cover them in the darkness of gesso! Take that, catchy motivational text of the 2010's!
Ah, finally! Several coats in, all sides covered in the quiet darkness.
Next, to coat the watercolor paintings with this amazing spray that is made for watercolor from Krylon, a UV Archival matte varnish. It was expensive but totally worth it in this case because I will not have plastic or protective glass over these pieces. It was a bit windy outside so I clipped and weighted them all down with clothespins.
Next, adding the photo corners and paintings to the canvases. Some of them were sticky enough, but many needed a little extra help with superglue. I needed to leave room for what will be written text for each panel. I had the story somewhat thought out, but let's be real--this was an opportunity to work with my good friend, Chessie. Chessie's writing skills and recent dip into calligraphy made her a perfect choice for this part of the project. I contacted her and she agreed! Next step... adding the calligraphy/text! See you next time for the second installment here.