I Have Begun Two New Paintings...

with my sister Phyllis in mind.  She died yesterday morning in Massachusetts, after suffering since last summer  from a debilitating illness.  If you have ever watched a loved one die by inches, you'll understand why I feel some relief at her passing.  


Anyway, I woke up at 12:30 or 1:00 this morning, unable to sleep, thinking of Phyl.  I decided to get up, put my painting duds on, and get to work.  I began two canvases with the idea of a landscape, probably including lilacs, somehow.  The last time I saw my sister alive was last Saturday.  Our daughter had flown home from Nevada to see her Auntie.  Calista and I took Phyl a bouquet of lilacs, which she LOVED!  One piece fell off the bouquet, and she enjoyed holding under her nose and sniff, sniff, sniffing it.

Untitled underlayment for a 10 x 20" acrylic on canvas,  copyright Joan Cole

Anyway, this is what the 10 x 20" looked like around 3:30 AM.  (Please forgive the glare.)  There are at least two layers of pigment on the whole canvas.  Having begun this and a 12 x 24" vertical piece, I went to bed about 4:00 AM.  It's 10:00 AM now, and  both canvases are calling me.  I will show you my progress on this project.  So, more later....