The large (42″ x 68″), unfinished painting is titled Conversation. The smaller (36″ x 48″) painting, Whispers, was finished yesterday.
Two paintings of people talking while outdoors? A coincidence (I think), although I have been surprised in the past on discovering groups of paintings that share the same unplanned theme. A few years ago I was surprised when I realized that all paintings over the previous six months were about people touching and hugging one another. The theme was obvious, so how did I not know? This–unself-conscious themes–is a big subject and I plan to write about it sometime.
My daughter asked me once, “Dad, why do you hold that big stick sometimes when you paint?”
That big stick is my homemade mahl stick, which is actually a broom handle with rags fixed to it with rubber bands. Indispensable, especially for large paintings.