Not-A-Painting

This is not modern art, not a painting, but it is an artifact. It is my 'at-home' painting apron- I wear it most every night. I have one just like it at school- the colors/brush strokes are even similar. I wonder if you could identify an artist by their work clothes- probably. The types of paint used, width of brushes, my habit of wiping my brush on my right thigh.

I cannot believe how long it took me to discover aprons! These came from the (now gone) thrift store in Rose Hill- they are big half aprons, long, wrap around almost to the back. Cotton, washable, durable, not fancy enough to worry about. They have saved many clothes from excessive paint (I *still* manage to get paint all over me, but at least the front of my stuff isn't so bad...) and the one at school hides a multitude of sins. Spilt coffee? Bear-hair on a black skirt? Just put on the apron and pretend you have been working hard! Magic!

Melissa makes awesome aprons- I have a green one with flowers and deep lovely pockets and one of her heritage 'garden-skirts' from her grandmother. I save these for when I am sewing or not-painting... they are to special to get all wild with the paint.

I am a messy artist. It's my nature- for all that I am also organized- when I am making art I am all over the place. Freedom to create without boundaries of worry that 'oh, mustn't get dirty' 'watch the floor, the chair, the clothing'... nope. My students are usually hesitant about getting messy- they wrap themselves up in trash bag-ponchos, aprons that I have from foods classes (which never work. Bib aprons are uncomfortable, run small, and never cover enough of your lap... art is different from cooking- instead of things splashing up on you, they splash down. An apron covering your shirt does you no good at all)

Today, today I am tired. No reason why- I would just like to put on my apron, make some more coffee, stay home and create things. Maybe write a bit for school. Pick some daffodils. Take a nap. Not possible. So today I will go to school, hope someone else has made some coffee, put on my apron and help my kids create things- different roles, much the same.