I guess I am openly exposing myself to a semi- crime.
There was a labour of love involved and a little bit of silent cussing from me, and semi- cussing from my mother as the car boot door fully extended involuntarily on our way back home drove. It revealed this over-sized panel of wood I purchased from bunnings to the ongoing traffic.
We like to think, our illegal tendencies are often a protest against paying exuberant amounts of money to the MAN. In this case, it would have cost us 57 dollars to deliver the plank of wood 3 block down the road.
And so of course, my mother would rather risk driving this gigantic panel than paying an absurd amount of money, whilst letting me know the umpteenth time, that this would be the last time she'd participate in such illegal acts.
After James suggested buying a door to staple loose canvas for support, as opposed to stapling the canvas on the wall of my home, I caved in.
Partly due to feeling restricted when painting on A4 pieces of paper. During the lockdown, using small-scaled paper and watercolour to sustain my practice worked well for the short term. After a while, I couldn't help but crave the scale of the canvas, and the extension of my arm. I missed the body to body nature of large scale painting (normal painting :)). I denied myself of this luxury because I didn't have long till lockdown ceased. Furthermore, the cost to ship stretched cheaply made canvas, made me feel inclined to work on watercolours. ( I don't drive so buying canvas wasn't an option) Even buying a piece of wood, I wondered who would help me deliver it. I wasn't sure if the cost is worth it, let alone, flicking paint on my walls, and reeking my room with linseed oil.
I caved in any way, and have tried to find safety measures to paint large scale in my bedroom studio. It all happened over 3 days, two days for the canvas to arrive, the next day to buy gesso from a local Botany art store and then compost and plants for my other garden from bunnings (my sister and brother helped me with this trip).
Lastly, my kind mother offered to help with the delivery of the panel, after she got home from work (she's a teacher).
I am going through this excruciatingly boring report of making a studio because I want to acknowledge the many people that made it happen for me. Their love and support, knowing I don't drive, they took a slice of their time to help me and i am so grateful! because I didn't think id paint before getting back to University studios.
(also want to acknowledge Hugo and his dad for their recommendations on buying wood cheaply and the retail assistances in bunnings who saw us through our illegal crimes for the greater good)
Here she is, 2.5 x 1.2 m big.
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