February 27, 2009
Went home for lunch and brushed in another pass at the big Billy painting:

Laid in some Indian Red to give the shadows some warmth against the adobe:

Also, gave Garrett's face some shadows as well. The Kid seems to be floating a bit. Was hoping the shadows would pull him down, but it didn't. May kill the highlight on his spur because I think that is pulling the attention down into that space and throwing his leg off a bit.

When I had finished, one of the cleaning ladies came in and I asked her, "Habla Ingles?" (Do you speak English?) And she shook her head no. After saying, "Soy estudiante de Espanol" (I am a student of Spanish), I made a pantomine gesture like I was grabbing spit from my mouth and I said as I pointed at the painting, "Como se dice este?" (How do you say this, or, how do you say wet?)

She said, "Basura."

I shook my head and smiled, then I showed her my wet easel and warned her, "Esta es basura," and she said, "No, es fresca." Then she pointed at the trash can. "Esta es basura."

Garbage. Oh, I get it. The painting is garbage. Thankyou very much, I mean Muchas Gracias, Latina Diabla!

"The background is more air than it is anything. It is the place in which the model moves. It is the air he breathes."
—Robert Henri