“I’m Not Chasing You”

“I’m Not Chasing You,” 5″ x 7″ on gallery wrap canvas, $100

Lucy’s a nice dog. She has three legs. To compensate, she has massive muscles on her opposite leg. I mean MASSIVE.

Lucy is also very hyperactive. She needs a lot of attention.

This painting of Lucy isn’t really a painting of Lucy at all. You see, I sat down with one of my better canvases, the real kind that’s stretched over a wooden frame, and told Lucy, “No, Lucy, I’m not chasing you. So just sit there and be painted. The paint will fall where it may, and that’s that. I’m going to paint a warm background, and that’s that. I’m going to paint you without an underdrawing, and that’s that. I’m going to paint your pink skin and your blue eyes over a purple wash and that’s that. And I don’t care how you’re going to turn out. And that’s that.”

Lucy is 200 miles away, but I’m sure she heard me and howled into the warm California night. As is her wont. I told her I wasn’t chasing her, I told the painting I was in no mood. And I was true to my word.

I really enjoyed this painting. I had fun painting it. You see, I’m starting to believe. Like Neo, I didn’t believe it at first, but now I’m beginning to believe.

I take pictures. I take pictures that make people ask, “Why did you take a picture of THAT?”

“Because I like it. And it struck my fancy. That’s why.”

And I’m beginning to trust myself to paint. And I’m beginning to see that I can use my pictures as inspiration. I’m beginning to allow a style to form. I’m beginning. I’m becoming.

And that’s that.