8/5/09

2 OLDIES TODAY

It's a weird and kind of cool thing to finally be old enough to collect social security. Today is my 62nd birthday - yeah!!! Got to get a new driver's license pix too. Lovely:-(

This morning my two granddaughters iced the cake they made with Grandpa last night and even put sprinkles on it. Not too much icing was on the floor when they were done, either. The cake is just beautiful, a work of art for sure.

Yesterday Tuesday morning's class completely surprised me with a huge party, complete with a delicious luncheon and cake and candles. We're doing it up right this year for sure.

This old painting of a very old John Deere tractor is one of the oldest I could find to help commemorate this dubiously historic day. It was one of the earlier 'tape' paintings that I tried, probably done in 1997 or so.

Every shape was developed by placing masking tape where I didn't want more paint. Each layer of paint dried before adding more masking tape. It's like batik in the way it looks with the paint oozing under the edges of the torn tape. The tape, used instead of wax to preserve and develop the shapes in the painting, is removed when the darkest values are painted. The textures that can be created this way are exciting.

Taping is time consuming - more so than wax batik - and yet the results are worth it. Next week I get a brand new right knee since my old sixty two year old one is in bad shape, so taping may be the process I choose to paint with during recovery. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to that first social security check!

17 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....and you don't look as old as that John Deere, dear! ha ha See ya tomorrow - I have no cake but something I know you'll appreciate just as much :)

Lori Barton said...

Happy Birthday Sandy!!!! From a fellow Leo as my bday is upcoming this week also :) Good Luck with the knee, my dad had his done and has been very pleased with the result. Will be thinking good thoughts for you.
Lori Barton

Dawn said...

Happy Birthday Sandy!
sounds like a perfect day.
nice John Deere too.

Suzanne McDermott said...

Happy Birthday!!! Isn't it lovely to know how much you're loved and appreciated? That, alone, might help assuage the throes of aging. After all, a life well-lived shines back at you - mirroring what you give. Lots of love and good wishes for another well-lived year!

Ginny Stiles said...

OH Sandy Happy Birthday! 62? Why you are just a kid! None of this "old timer" stuff now! Sorry to hear about the knee replacement...although I know it'll be great when you are done with rehab. It's rehab they say is the killer. I hate to think of you "out of commission" for awhile. But it's all for a good cause and you'll be jumping on the trampoline in no time! The taping technique is something totally new to me...never thought of doing this. I have more questions about it, of course, but will hold off on them for now.

Cindi said...

happy birthday we share the month of august!!! how cute grampa and gkids made you a cake... hope you had a wonderful day!!

Sandy Maudlin said...

Hey Cindi and Lori, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you too! It's been a wonderful day made even more special by all of your comments. Thanks Rhonda, Dawn, Suzanne, and Ginny. Happy painting.

rafael pujals said...

Congratulations Sandy!!! Happy Birthday and happy works!!!

Ann Buckner said...

Happy Belated Birthday Sandy! Sounds like it started off right with a cake baked by your grandkids & husband. Good luck with the knee surgery and will be thinking of you!

Teresa Palomar Lois said...

Happy belated birthday!
62 doesn't sound bad, collecting social security sounds perfect, taking a new license driving photo... ouch! :)

A Brush with Color said...

Happy Birthday is right! Wonderful--this is awesome--you did a fabulous job on this.

Candy said...

Happy Belated Birthday, Sandy! Great job on the John Deere. Here's to a quick recovery on the knee surgery.

Sandy said...

Happy belated birthday Sandy!
I am also a Leo...a major birthday coming soon....EEk! Where has time gone and how did it happen so fast?
Take good care after your knee op.
Rest up and paint heaps!

Nick said...

I love this one Sandy, one of the best if not the best pieces of this type I've seen. And it's old work for you!
Stop counting the b-days, it's all an illusion anyway. Good luck on the knee. My dad had his replaced 4 yrs ago at age 82 so he could keep playing tennis. The doc told him it is the latest high-tech knee you can get, should last 15-20 yrs. My dad looked at him in horror and said "you mean I'm going to have to do this AGAIN???!" (true story)

Sandy Maudlin said...

Thank YOU ALL for such wonderful comments and birthday wishes. The knee is great - so glad I did it and can't wait to do the next one. Nick, your dad has a great sense of humor!

Wayne said...

...a fantastic piece Sandy! I love the structural strength and value contrasts here. The positive and negative shapes are so powerful as to virtually 'flatten the picture plane' (as in Modernism) but yours is achieved in a different way and not by distorting perspectives. As you say, the successive taping and removal allows for interesting color-creep effects. I see the tractor tread, and that brings me back to recognizable forms and meanings. Yet the stark semi-abstract high-contrast positive and negative shapes are what really hold my attention. It's great!!

All the best for the knee op!
Best wishes,
wayne

Sandy Maudlin said...

Thanks, Wayne. Your comments made my morning! The knee is doing super - got released yesterday from the doctor - 18 days after surgery. No more physical therapy, etc! It's been a cake walk. I'm so ready to do the next knee.