{"id":4715,"date":"2015-02-17T18:43:25","date_gmt":"2015-02-17T23:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/?p=4715"},"modified":"2016-04-03T20:53:28","modified_gmt":"2016-04-04T00:53:28","slug":"the-lady-who-gave-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2015\/02\/the-lady-who-gave-up\/","title":{"rendered":"The lady who gave up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fresh off the boat that summer; I was a wide-eyed kid in New York for the first time. I gorged myself on galleries and museums. I was as fresh and raw as a nineteen-year-old can be.<\/p>\n

One day I was in a Madison Avenue gallery when an elegantly dressed older woman entered. As I was the only other visitor, she approached me and said, “Young man, would you like some art supplies–some canvases?”<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span>Robert Smith<\/span><\/a><\/div>

I arrived In New York with all the money I had; money I’d saved from a construction job that spring. I calculated that it was enough to last two months, but I was burning through the money at an alarming rate. I hadn’t found a job in New York yet. I ate pizza slices morning, noon, and night (which is why I don’t like pizza today). I’d already used the few canvases I’d brought with me. I was burning with fresh ideas but I didn’t have any canvas. The unexpected gift was a miracle.<\/p>\n

\"Gramercy<\/a>
Gramercy Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We took a cab to her townhouse in Gramercy Park. Her maid greeted us at the door and my host led me to the elevator, which we took to her fifth-floor studio. I’d never been in a house with a private elevator. The high-ceilinged studio consumed the entire top floor of the townhouse. It was airy and filled with light. An easel stood in the middle of the room; nearby were glass jars with brushes and other equipment. The studio was neat–and dusty.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span>Painting: Mother Nursing Infant<\/span><\/a><\/div>

There were paintings on the walls and others stacked in neat rows. “Take as many as you can carry,” she said, pointing into the room. I didn’t see any blank canvases. “You don’t mind painting over old oils, do you,”<\/p>\n

To my confusion, she explained, “I’m giving up painting. I’ve no talent and I’m too old to pretend any longer.  I never come up here, indeed, I don’t like coming up here. Don’t be downcast! It’s alright–it’s fine. I’ve enjoyed my time painting, but it’s never been alive for me, so why do it?  Take these canvases as a gift from an old artist to a young one. The only thing I ask is that you think about me when you use my canvases.”<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span>Love Everything About It<\/span><\/a><\/div>

I was struck dumb. What could I say? She was right: her semi-abstract paintings were earnest and diligent and lifeless.<\/p>\n

She helped me pick out six or so canvases; as many as I could carry. I thanked her profusely and walked with my bundle to my East Village apartment. The canvases were top-quality linen and the stretchers expertly made. I used all of her canvases. In fact, I used one that night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fresh off the boat that summer; I was a wide-eyed kid in New York for the first time. I gorged myself on galleries and museums. I was as fresh and raw as a nineteen-year-old can be. One day I was in a Madison Avenue gallery when an elegantly dressed older woman entered. As I was the only […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":4716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[235,139],"tags":[236],"class_list":["post-4715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anecdotes","category-bio","tag-new-york"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/gramercy_park.jpg?fit=466%2C288&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4414,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2014\/12\/bad-craftsmen-a-cautionary-tale\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":0},"title":"Bad craftsmen–a cautionary tale","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"December 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my pet peeves is subpar or crappy material marketed to artists at boutique prices. I will swallow hard and pay premium prices for premium material, but too often I end up paying top-dollar for unusable junk.\u00a0The art supply market is chockablock will hucksters, con artists, and amateurs. \u00a0Many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/phantom.jpg?fit=466%2C526&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4774,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2015\/03\/in-the-studio-3115\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":1},"title":"In the studio 3\/1\/15","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"March 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I worked the past\u00a0several days on finishing the under-painting of The\u00a0Woman in Purple Boots. The Woman in Purple Boots is 40\" x 50\" which is a nice size and format. I'm thinking of preparing a batch\u00a0of canvases that size, say 4-5. I often prepare batches\u00a0of\u00a0the same size. Last year, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/studio-2015-3-1.jpg?fit=444%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4808,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2015\/03\/new-stretchers\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":2},"title":"New stretchers","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"March 7, 2015","format":"status","excerpt":"My large order of heavy-duty stretcher strips arrived from Jerry's on Thursday. Enough stretchers and cross braces for 12 paintings: 6 @ 36\" x 48\"; 6 @ 40\" x 50\". I am preparing three at a time--three of one size and then three of the other and so forth. Buying\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13551,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2024\/05\/sinking-in-canvases\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":3},"title":"Sinking in (canvases)","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"May 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I always try to be as efficient as possible with my paintings. But I'm also cheap. The combination of efficiency and cheapness has frequently caused me headaches. Instead of saving time and money, I've wasted both in my often wrong-footed efforts to save money. I prefer smooth painting surfaces but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to"","block_context":{"text":"How to","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/come-along-scaled.jpg?fit=857%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/come-along-scaled.jpg?fit=857%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/come-along-scaled.jpg?fit=857%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/come-along-scaled.jpg?fit=857%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5531,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2015\/10\/in-the-studio-101115\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":4},"title":"In the studio 10\/11\/15","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"October 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I finished\u00a0Keith Standing in Front of a Painting of Himself quickly this morning and grew excited. I thought I'd also be able to finish The Girl in the Purple Boots today (you can see the painting on the easel behind Keith Standing in Front of a Painting of Himself). Close,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Bio"","block_context":{"text":"Bio","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/bio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/studio-2015-10-11.jpg?fit=600%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/studio-2015-10-11.jpg?fit=600%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/studio-2015-10-11.jpg?fit=600%2C766&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13264,"url":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/2024\/02\/canvas-prep\/","url_meta":{"origin":4715,"position":5},"title":"Canvas prep","author":"Tom Hudson","date":"February 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I always want a supply of large canvases available to me. I've learned that the only canvases that satisfy my perfectionist side are the canvases I make myself. I've tried many commercial canvases and none have ever satisfied me. So I make my own. The six canvases are all in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "materials"","block_context":{"text":"materials","link":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/category\/materials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canvas-prep.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canvas-prep.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canvas-prep.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canvas-prep.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2Gw6F-1e3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasparkerhudson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}