Painting anger

In all the years I have been creating, I can honestly say I have in every case tried to make a pretty picture. Meaning, I haven't painted ugly thoughts, politically charged pieces, or created collages about tormented periods of my life. Recently I was reminded again that I have the option of using my talents to do just that - to paint my emotions that aren't so pretty, to paint anger. To get my feelings out, the good and the bad, through my art. So I sat out to do that. This is a piece about cracking open and talking about, releasing painful memories. I am still working on the piece and it's a bit like peeling back my skin to show this, but hey, it's part of me, and I have no idea where the piece is going.... it's a work in progress and its only purpose right now is to be an outlet. I have written many things on it, scratched some out, painted over some, written them again, and so forth. It is acrylic paint and collage. I will post an updated pic when I moved further on it.

BASQUIAT and my 9 yr old

My son and I watched "BASQUIAT: The Radiant Child" last night, and it was a good documentary, thorough and compelling, about his art and life. I have been a fan for years, and was excited to see it. My son was not interested, he said, but once he realized I was going to watch it with or without him, he wandered in and was glued to the set with me until the end, near 9:30pm. As he went to bed he asked if we could paint in the morning. More specifically, he asked if we could wake up at 6am and paint. I told him, sure, if you are up at 6, wake me and we will paint.... assuming he'd sleep in, having been up late.

At 6:05am, he came into my room and said, "Mom, let's paint now." True to my word, I pulled myself out of bed, made coffee and set him up at the kitchen table with canvas and paint. He stayed there and worked for over an hour, until it was time to get ready for school.

.... hope he stays interested. :)