After two weeks of Covid isolation I was finally out of the house with a very long to do list. Yesterday I built a set for the school play and this morning the boys and I got a Christmas tree. I had to drive up to the ranch to find all of our lights and ornaments. The fall colors there were really nice so took a long overdue painting break and set up just south of my Uncle Jim’s, Looking towards my cousin Steve’s place. Bob Johnson, stopped by to say hello while I was painting and we had a very nice chat about the state of the arts. Then I was back on the road south to Marin.
It was an interesting morning on the ranch. A wild bushtit landed on my paint brush while I was working on this oil sketch. Then my mom brought over a bucket with a large false tarantula in it and last but not least a small flock of mangy looking runaway goats showed up on our property and I had to try and round them up on the four-wheeler.
I haven’t painted in while. I feel pretty rusty. Forgot to bring turp for the clean up.
Today I lost one of my closest friends to a long battle with cancer. I was introduced to Ralph Egglesston during the pandemic through a video chat by a friend and we instantly hit it off. We would call each other a couple times a week and just have the best conversations, trading story’s for hours about our lives and art. He was one of the few people I have ever known who I ever really felt in sync with. In a very short amount of time he grew to being one of my best and my closest friends. His parting leaves a massive hole in my life.
I last spoke to Ralph a few days ago. It was really hard. He was in a lot of pain and it was clear that he didn’t have much time left. We said our goodbyes and I told him how much I loved him and how I was going to miss him. And now he’s gone.
After the news of his passing I spent most of the day in a fog. Through tears I grabbed my painting kit and headed out the door to catch the sunset. Ralph would have wanted me to paint. This one was for him.
I set up just as the sun disappeared behind Kentfield and painted through golden hour until I lost all my light and couldn’t see the colors anymore. On the walk back I was graced by an owl hunting on the salt marsh. Not a bad way to end the day.
Between the deadlines at work, all the end of the school year events and friends getting hurt or sick. I’ve found it difficult to find time or motivation to paint. I force myself to paint today just to break the trend. I feel really rusty, like I haven’t painted in years. Got to get that momentum back.
There are a lot of drawings, paintings and films I’ve made over the years which I find hard to enjoy because they remind me of whatever was going on at the time I made them. I guess I’ll file this one in that category.
I was just leaning into this painting when I got a call from my girlfriend who was en route to the emergency room. She broke a finger in a cycling accident. That was the end of the painting . Cleaned up as fast as I could, took a quick picture and then was on the road north. I cleaned the painting up a little after we got her all bandaged up and on the road to recovery.
When I set up my gear the overcast sky led me to believe that it was going to be a pleasant rose colored sunset, then the wind picked up and by the time I had the under painting down the veil parted. It was so bright. This view is probably etch onto the back of my eyeballs. I’d squint for a quick peak and then turn away to paint and that was too much. I was just guessing at the colors until the sun dropped behind Kentfield. note to self: always pack your sun glasses.
As I was cleaning up I met a friendly neighbor and we had a lovely conversation about art, philosophy and the joy of learning. It was a nice way to wrap up the day.
9x12in Oil on linen panel
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