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.
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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
the irish
ReplyDelete:)
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?
A six word story... ;)
ReplyDeleteCan an artist's determination be crushed, or carried away? Hardly.
ReplyDeleteSix word story . . . Empty, battered, but in high demand.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy your letterings, James, also the battered, tattered and crunched ones.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! Needed this. It made my day :)
ReplyDeleteGreat 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
ReplyDeleteYou'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
ReplyDeleteFergus 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.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you sketchbook pages are absolutely incredible too!
Fergus, regretfully I'm not in Ireland in the moment. Just wrote the piece in present tense.
ReplyDeleteThank 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.
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!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour super big Texas fan,
cindy
Sorry for undefined acronym! ET = egg tempera
ReplyDeleteFive worder, a pro pos "can-can":-)... The old can dances on...
ReplyDeleteSix worder:
The old can keeps on dancing...
Rich, or how 'bout this one: CAN ABDUCTION PLOT....RECYCLED OR IMMORTALIZED?
ReplyDeleteha ha
ReplyDelete:&)
:o)
p.s:
ReplyDelete"The Canned Heat"
...as far as I remember their song:
"On the Road Again"
went on an on....
...kicking the can down the road...
ReplyDeleteI take my hat
and coat...
So funny!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see it asked, "Why weren't you having a beer?"
ReplyDelete