I worked on this small painting this morning. I am still working on the underpainting but it’s far enough along to show.
On the easel: the unfinished ‘John in a White Shirt’
I used to be phobic about people commenting on unfinished work. I used to hate–I mean hate–it when people visited my studio unannounced. They would inevitably comment about the unfinished work piled everywhere. Even now, people who know me are careful not to say anything when they visit the studio.
Why do unsolicited comments bother me? I can’t say, really. Partly it’s because the studio is a private place. Mostly it’s because paintings are like cherished memories; when someone comments it’s an intrusion into that memory–something out of place that doesn’t fit. I’ve been known to abandon paintings after such incidents.
That almost happened with this painting. An unexpected visitor saw this painting and gushed; she liked it very much and went on at some length. What can you do in these situations? Say shut-up? No, you just nod your head and smile. When she left, I had to fight the urge to paint over the painting. That was several weeks ago and I can only now look at it without thinking of her.
You might wonder, then, why I show unfinished work in blog posts. In part, it’s to get over this personality tic because I don’t think it’s healthy. But the written comments I receive aren’t the same. You’re not here–in the studio.