Art for arts sake

The other day I was prepping a canvas  and I flipped it over and thought - why not use the back?  So I did! 

I had to prep it all first,  and decide what sort of picture I'd do. I had some shells, so I played with them to see what pictures I could make with them, they made perfect flowers. My next dilemma was how to disguse the nasty bits,  cardboard!   I cut some strips of cardboard to form a frame, then mitred the corners - I even remembered to number them so I'd know what went were.   Then I had to leave it for a day as I had made arrangements to meet up with a friend.  It was no bad thing as it meant the canvas would be nice and dry.

So today I was back at my craft desk.  My first task was to strip back the cardboard and paint it.  I wanted the picture to be  light, so I chose a cream, with gold and white, and used a dry brush technique.  They were left to dry while I masked the canvas.  I wanted to just use a small area.  I used the same cream and then dry brushed on some white.  Next I had to arrange the shells into flowers, for the stems I twisted 3 strands of gold wire together.   And the finishing touch was the two butterflies.  This will be hanging in the living room.

I went to the Tate in Liverpool yesterday.  We had lunch first, now they used to have a really lovely restaurant, note the past tense!   Now they sell overpriced sandwiches,  and some hot food.   We went round the exhibits,  I don't mind modern art, in fact I like much of it, what I don't like is being insulted, and some of it was very insulting.   I think I can't paint, but when I see stuff like I did yesterday then I think - I can paint!  There were other works that, well, didn't work,  we discussed what we'd do with the various bits,  other stuff just made me laugh because it was all so high and mighty.   I see better art work on many facebook pages, and from my friends.  I'm always reminded of the line in the Dire Straits Song: Up in the Gallery,  it goes:  He took and empty canvas and stuck it on a wall. Someone did, and some idiot bought it for a few thousand pounds, like the Emporer's new clothes. 

I've also got some disruption to look forward to,  apparently our housing association are upgrading the central heating - joy.   They fitted a new system in my neighbours flat,  only took them a day and they made no mess, just hope they do the same here.  I also asked for a new fence,  which they dithered about,  it is their property,  and the fence is over 30 years old, and unlike some tenants we've looked after the flat.

I'll have to find something else to do tomorrow.