My Palette?

A surplus door from the lake house was recently scarfed up and put into use as another table in the studio since much of what I do now requires the canvases to be horizontal. But instead of supporting new works in progress, it seems to have become my new palette with loose groupings of assorted bokusho material. I find there are many ways to create these inked papers, just a dilution of the ink, addition of a little color, change of brush or impulse give a very different look to each series. So it's necessary that they be kept as separate as paint in tubes. In this case, they don't mix very well. Interesting how different series can dictate the mood or composition of a work... each suggesting it's own attitude.

Note the string of old brushes on the left... hardware store, China bristle of good quality, worn to a pulp. Dried paint tends to gather at the top so it's sometimes necessary to take a razor or X-acto knife to the bristles just under the ferrule and take off a layer of the clogged surface hairs... it really refreshes the brush and extends the life of it. But eventually, the brush is declared dead and is usually tossed, except for these few saved back just as keepsakes. I find I'm using chip brushes more and more often... those throw-aways from the paint dept for less than a dollar. I can get them on the web, the 2" for $.33, and I need to order a bushel or so. They are surprisingly versatile and last longer than expected. So nice to just toss and not have to clean. Not that I spend a lot of time cleaning brushes... btdt! I think my style has evolved to accommodate my slack attitude re: brush cleaning.