Tonight’s dog walk consisted of the following conversation: I mentioned that I was watching a show on HBO called “Youth Knows No Pain” which was a documentary of sorts about America’s use of wrinkle reducing “cosmetics” and cosmetic surgery. Why are we so obsessed with the way we look? Let me tell you, some of those people in the show were downright scary. Nipped, tucked, botoxed! They were one step away from Joan Rivers or that woman that wants to look like a cat. And don’t even get me started about that woman that has had a bazillion surgeries so she can look like Barbie. SHE WANTS TO LOOK LIKE A TOY! At some point one has to learn to age gracefully and accept those wrinkles as a sign that one has been lucky enough to live long enough to get those wrinkles in the first place! And, if you’re lucky, some knowledge to go with them. As I ranted, Charlie was more concerned about the fact that now he can’t remember things sometimes. I asked if he would consider getting any sort of plastic surgery. HA! He said since he wasn’t that great looking when he was younger he didn’t care that much about it now. He continued that had he looked like Brad Pitt when he was in his 20’s and Jackie Gleason when he was in his 30’s he’d be concerned.
Continuing on we noticed yet another new nail salon called “Classy” was going to open. We knew it was going to be called “Classy” as it said “Classy” in neon lights right in the window. As I wondered what it said about our society that our neighborhoods have two nail salons on every block but can’t seem to have health care for all of its citizens, Charlie was more concerned that if “classy” was in neon, how could it be classy? Wasn’t that sort of an oxymoron?
We need more to do.
I completed this painting of my sister’s garages. (Yep, that’s right, plural. Who’s better than her?) I had more fun with colors with this painting. And I think I’m painting a little looser which I like.
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September 6, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Jim
I have ONE WORD for people who resort to surgery to “improve” their looks: SHALLOW. May I repeat that? SHALLOW. (And I’m not including the children with cleft palates, etc.) There is MUCH to be done in this world– the money these fashionista monsters invest in themselves would be better spent helping their fellows. Period. Case closed. End of discussion. It’s a crime to spend money like that when there are people starving and dying on this planet. It’s a gross shame– and I DECRY the doctors who perpetuate this crap. I wish I could tie them to my car and drag them, while the ills they have fomented flash before their eyes !!
Nice painting though !
September 6, 2009 at 10:29 pm
carolking
Jim, Um, thanks for commenting on my painting. I’m getting my eyes done this week. I’ll call you after that. OK?
September 7, 2009 at 12:06 am
lesliepaints
Wow. I’m like Jim on the plastic surgery front. Unless it is for a deformity from birth or to help someone maimed in an accident, I have no respect for vanity of that nature. I feel really bad for people who are influenced in their fields by managers who expect them to change their looks to suit someone else’s standards.
Carol, I love the shapes in this painting. The contrast between the man-made shapes of the garages and the natural shapes of the foliage is very striking. I especially like that big blue spruce shooting up and off the page to the right of center. That blue line that you outlined the treetops and garages with I’ve seen somewhere before and thought it was interesting. It works here to balance the blues. Nice painting!
September 7, 2009 at 12:08 am
lesliepaints
Oops! Forgot to say I like how you caught the light on the garage door on the left!
September 7, 2009 at 12:15 am
carolking
Leslie, thanks for your comments. Both of them. I am happy with this painting. I wanted to do something a little differently and felt like I managed it in the foliage.
September 7, 2009 at 12:35 am
severnyproductions
is that a road or a river, looks great anyway, i’m just curious
September 7, 2009 at 1:19 am
Carol King
Kokot, it’s a driveway. It looks a little brighter here than in person. If it was a river my sister would have to exit her house with a canoe! 🙂 Maybe I need to darken it a bit. Thanks for pointing that out.
September 7, 2009 at 7:39 am
swatch
Hey Carol – nice confident shapes – I like this. S
September 7, 2009 at 11:38 am
Bonnie Luria
Painting first: It’s the tree that sucked me right in. You got it so right and believable with it’s strong boughs and lights and shadows.
It’s a great addition to your evolving works in the brightness of color.
You did a wonderful job on this one.
In short: we are a vapid and stupid society. Magazine ads that feature 15 year old girls advertising wrinkle creams cannot possibly produce young women who feel good about themselves.
Remember when we were growing up, Seventeen magazine and Glamour magazine were for teens and young ladies. Vogue and Bazaar were for our mothers and the models reflected that.
Now, we have 17 year olds modeling outfits that are $3000, anti aging creams and a body weight of 97 pounds, including the boots.
We want to cure everything with a pill but take no responsibility for our own health practices to prevent illness.
We think that how you look is more important than who you are or what your contributions are.
We are screwed.
Of course there are pockets of sanity and those are found in the friends we choose, the blogs we read, and the input we reject.
Your posts have grown so in the last year- have you realized that too?
Your painting and your humorous observations.
September 7, 2009 at 9:45 pm
dissengallery
I love your loose way of painting this image, and the colors are spot on….thanks for sharing.
September 8, 2009 at 5:37 am
napabelle
I like theses shapes and strong colors ! Great job !
September 8, 2009 at 11:21 am
InkSplodge!
Great composition and the bright colours are delicious – there’s a real feeling of depth – that blue fir so vigorous. Didn’t your sister want to keep your painting of her lovely house? I realise that images look completely different on the computer screen to how they appear in reality – so yes, the driveway does seem river-like on my computer.
Speaking of oxymorons – people who resort to plastic surgery for their low self-esteem…could be described as looking awfully pretty, like a neat mess.
September 11, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Jim King
Don’t all of these people know they filmed “A River Runs Through It” at Alice’s??? I LOVE the blue driveway! And the purplish colored garage roof. The looseness of all the plant materials is terrific. Very confident painting Carol. (Abstract, abstract, abstract – it’s in parentheses because it’s a subliminal message.)
September 11, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Cathyann Burgess
Can’t say it better the Bonnie , so I won’t. Also because I have to hit the road again to get to Santa Fe by dark. will check in later.
Strong painting! Check out the golden mean and see how your painting fits it perfectly.best, C
September 12, 2009 at 4:37 am
wrjones
Nice painting but the driveway could use warming up unless you want to ice skate on it. Still the over all design is good.
September 12, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Carol King
I think I prefer having people think my sister leaves her house via boat. And anyway, I love ice skating! : )