The Unforgiving Art

This painting feels like one big mistake. As I painted the background, I felt like it was getting too muddy, and the daffodil stems and leaves all felt far too organized and I couldn't seem to get the colors quite right. Nevertheless I thought perhaps it would look better once Megan was painted in. When I was getting closer and closer to the end, a terrible thing happened. My painting hand had brushed up against phthalocyanine blue - a very staining color, and that part of the hand landed right in the middle of my daughter's forehead!! *GASP!!* I scrubbed, and tried to lift it out, but try as I might the dirty deed was done. My painting was ruined.
Sure, I could see this as a tragedy. But frankly, I wasn't liking how it was turning out anyway. I'm putting this on my blog to show that mistakes are learning experiences.

closeup of the phthalo blue accident.

Thankfully I've been in the giving spirit recently. I didn't want yet another painting to go into the file of regects under my bed. So I decided to give this painting to a U.S Marine troop in Afghanistan. I thought that despite the major flaw, if anybody would enjoy looking at a picture of careless green daffodil bliss, it would be the soldiers in the greenless desert. I chose a special troop that is in need of letters, and I wrote this message to them on the back of the painting:

Giving my painting to people who will enjoy it makes me feel a like all this work wasn't such a waste after all.

Sincerely,

Laura D'Onofrio