Friday

We had the crit session last night. Robert managed to kick over his wine glass again, this time within fifteen minutes of arriving, its a new record for him! Normally when one of your guests consistanly breaks wine glasses, you might hint at them to bring a case of fresh stemware next time they show up. But in Roberts case, he can't even make rent. I don't have enough fingers on my hands to count the various places he has rented around the neighborhood. The classic case of a dysfunctional artist.

Okay, I'm mad at having my glasses constantly smashed and wine spilled all over the studio floor!

With eight people here last night, the comments were flying and I had to write fast. Shorthand would come in helpful sometimes. But, any way, they insisted the water be broken up more along the green tree reflection line and also some more work on the trees.

The next painting was more of a religious debate!


I had a stone cross above the archway up the stairs, sort of like the entrance to a church courtyard. Well nobody liked the cross out of stone, but yet it still needed a cross of some sort........maybe a metal one. Soon the group had split up into "those" that thought no religion should ever be brought into a painting, and "those" who insisted well its southern France, there are churches all over the place. Religion is part of the culture. Another bottle was opened and the philosophical question brought up about what the client would want? Do they like religious icons in paintings, are they devote church going republicans? When in Rome, do as the Romans would, another words if the crosses are there in Provence put them in!

This went on for a good twenty minutes and it was going no where. I told them how about a smaller cross, maybe out of metal...........nobody heard. So I yelled louder, MAYBE A SMALLER ONE!
"Excuse me, did you say something?"......

Some still held fast to their values and insisted "No cross , don't give in to the pressures of the church!" This is Utah, what can I say!

I put an small iron cross in and called it good. The crit moved on to someone else.

Richard Boyer