Saturday, December 5, 2015

Please Don't Take My Coke Can


Can ponders fate: recycled or immortalized?

I'm waiting for my son in a beer garden in Clonmel, Ireland. There's nothing to do, so I pick up a Coke can from the ground and get busy drawing it. But halfway through, when I look up from my sketchbook, it's gone.  


There's my can, heading off on the tray of a waitress. I jump up in pursuit. "Can I have that back?" 

"What back?" she says. 

"The can—could I have it back? I need it." 

"Tis empty." She looks at me like I'm daft, but she extends the arm, shakes the can and drops it in my cupped hands.

I return to the table and get back to work. Let's see...slopes...measurements...shading. I glance back to the can.

Oh, no. It's gone again, this time heading into the kitchen on the tray of a busboy. I follow him and ask for it back. He didn't know, he was just doing his job. 

Now I hunch over the can, glancing defensively from side to side. All the servers are looking at me like I'm the man from Mars.

This happens four times. And I just wanted to let you know how I persevered to bring you this little study. 

Sometimes still lives don't stay still.
-----
The title, first line, and last line of this post are six-word stories. Here's more info about the Six-Word-Story Challenge on GurneyJourney

19 comments:

gyrusdentus said...

the irish
:)

How much of the day do you actually spend drawing?
Is drawing part of a set everyday training-regimen or do you just practise by painting or drawing every day?

Glenn Tait said...

A six word story... ;)

A Colonel of Truth said...

Can an artist's determination be crushed, or carried away? Hardly.

Willow's Quiet Corner said...

Six word story . . . Empty, battered, but in high demand.

Rich said...

Always enjoy your letterings, James, also the battered, tattered and crunched ones.

Dennis said...

Great story! Needed this. It made my day :)

Fabio said...

Great one! I think we should all learn from you to get inspiration from everything. Now I guess I will pay more attention to empty cans on the street too :D

Fergus Ryan said...

You're in Ireland! Are you coming to Dublin? Nice dinner, big fire, warm bed...? Just been watching your wild watercolour. Fergus Ryan www.FergusARyan. narnia@iol.ie

Unknown said...

Fergus Ryan - Just went to your website - wow, wow, and WOW! Love your landscapes and how you work in ET. Absolutely beautiful and filled with emotion.

Also, you sketchbook pages are absolutely incredible too!

James Gurney said...

Fergus, regretfully I'm not in Ireland in the moment. Just wrote the piece in present tense.

Thank you, Marque. I'm trying to figure out what ET means....hmmm.....Extreme Trepidation? Every Town?

I appreciate your kind comments, Dennis, Rich, Glenn, and Fabio.

Willow's Quiet: Nice 6-worder! Now here's one for you: "Can an old can can-can?

Colonel, you got it. I think I identified with the can and wanted to give its short life some meaning.

Gyrus, I think the blog gives the illusion I work harder than I really do. You'd be amazed how many hours I spend vegetating on the couch.

Unknown said...

This is just awesome! You are my professors dream. I know this question that I'm about to ask, might have been asked before, but what kind of sketchbook do you use? Mixed media? OR, do you use various sketchbooks based on your studies and mediums? I am looking for something sturdy to use with a variety of mediums and wanted to see what you recommend. Thank you in advance!!!!!!!

Your super big Texas fan,
cindy

Unknown said...

Sorry for undefined acronym! ET = egg tempera

Rich said...

Five worder, a pro pos "can-can":-)... The old can dances on...

Six worder:
The old can keeps on dancing...

James Gurney said...

Rich, or how 'bout this one: CAN ABDUCTION PLOT....RECYCLED OR IMMORTALIZED?

Rich said...

ha ha
:&)
:o)

Rich said...

p.s:

"The Canned Heat"

...as far as I remember their song:
"On the Road Again"

went on an on....

Rich said...

...kicking the can down the road...

I take my hat
and coat...

Krystal said...

So funny!

JohnF said...

I didn't see it asked, "Why weren't you having a beer?"