There are competing theories for the origins of Boxing Day, none of which, evidently, is definitive. In any case, December 26, the day after Christmas, is called Boxing Day in many countries and plays out in several different ways.
Today, I have my own definition. In my neighborhood, Boxing Day and trash/recycling collection day overlapped this year. Not only that, but also—on the very same day!—I was in need of a box of a certain size to use as a containment space in which to place a painting in progress, load my brush with loose wet paint, and let go with splatters.
Imagine the curbside selection I had as I took a two-mile walk early this morning! Square boxes, rectangular boxes, taped boxes, flattened boxes, boxes stuffed with bubble wrap and crumpled gift wrap, tidy boxes, torn boxes, shirt boxes, appliance boxes.
The splatters I splattered fascinate me. They make no 'sense' in terms of content in the abstracted treescape here, but they totally saved this little exercise, an exercise offered generously online yesterday by Amanda Evanston to those who might be having a quiet holiday and wanting to pick up a brush to play with paint. Splattering kept me on track with my goal to be loose and quick in my playing (it was a close call!), and my trusty new box kept me from splattering anything beyond my painting playground.
Happy Boxing Day!
Lichen-Rusted Kaffeeklatsch 6 x 6"; acrylic, ink, oil pastel, and pencil on canvasboard abstract treescape 2020 $75 |