A lifetime ago when I was a Brownie Scout we would form a circle at the end of each meeting and sing the following song. "Make new friends, but keep the old. For one is silver and the other gold." Being only seven or eight years old I found the lyrics puzzling. I asked my mother if it meant one group of friends was better than the others? On the contrary, she said it meant that both our old friends and our new friends were equally precious. It still seems that when someone or something new comes into my life I can be dazzled and distracted from all that's come before. I rather think it's a momentary illusion and soon things sift down into a harmonious perspective of celebrating the new while valueing the old.
I have been painting in acrylics since about 1975. In that time I have probably used every product labeled "acrylic". The mainstay of my studio has long been Liquitex which comes in two formulas. The tube formula has a creamy peanut butter consistency. The soft body formula comes in plastic bottles and has a heavy cream consistency. Both stand up well to being thinned with water, retaining its durability. I also love the wealth of information that's easily discernible on the label. Not only is it user friendly but it has proven its long term durability to me, which is no small thing. Until recently there were these great debates over the permanence of acrylics as a fine art medium.
In 2006, I was a participating artist with the OFF THE WALL project. Artists painted themed art on banners that were displayed on lamp posts in the gallery district. The banners provided were much like vinyl window shades with a rod pocket at the top and another on the bottom. They would be installed in November and stay up through the harshest of the Winter weather. I cringed.(Part 1 of 3)
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