Allure

The summer of me painting like a madwoman continues!

A couple of months ago I saw a set of fishing lures in a store and thought they would fit right in with the things I usually paint: small, colorful, shiny. My dad used to fish, so I asked him if I could use some of his lures for a painting. I remember being absolutely fascinated by my dad's tackle box when I was a kid. Everything in there looked like adorable little toys. DANGEROUS toys! Dad warned me that his lures were very old but I was welcome to them, and he gave me a box. A couple were too ugly to use, but I was charmed by the others, and I especially liked their cracked paint jobs. I added some of my most feminine jewelry, and I like how they resemble bubbles and underwater plants.

I started painting the red one because I am in love with red. Then I tackled the lure in the lower right corner. It was similarly cracked and had silver glitter on its side. I painted that one square at a time and am pleased with the way it turned out.

Elsewhere: the beginning of a "Tiny Torpedo" is in the top-left and some blue beads in the bottom-left. I still needed to paint two more big, difficult-looking lures. At that point I already had a title figured out: "Allure."

I added some more blue jewelry and a red bead in the lower left corner, a string of pearls with many tiresome little connecty things, and one of the tough lures. It's underneath the red and white one and is the size of my forearm. Lots of texture and color changes are happening in this one, and I spent an entire day working on it. Fun fact: I listened to a lot of episodes of Harmontown, a favorite, hilarious podcast from Community creator Dan Harmon, while I worked on this painting.

Over the next couple of days I added the lipsticked, yellow-eyed lure. Its body was incredibly difficult because it was covered with tiny, raised diamond shapes that got smaller as I moved down its multicolored length. Such a hassle, and it also took an entire day to finish. The next day I took care of everything in the top-left quadrant. Most of those colors are dark and required at least two coats of paint. But I was nearing the home stretch and was eager to finish the fancy, fancy top-right corner.

After a couple of intense, poppy-painting days, "Allure" was finished! That is my favorite pin, and I wanted it to look very glossy and almost wet. I had a blast with this painting. Please check out my prints, available here.

I've also started to put Allure on items in my merchandise store! Click here to visit the store, and just click on whatever category you're interested in. I plan to add more products over the next day or two!

In other news, yesterday Jeff and I drove up to Chicago to visit Mel, one of its newest citizens. She lives in an apartment in Logan Square, and we brought her a bed frame, rolled-up mattress, and air conditioner. Let's hear it for Mazda 6's incredible trunk space! Those items were installed within an hour, and after that we spent the day together, eating lots of great food and shooting the breeze. She's been there for a month now and found a job as a prep cook at a restaurant/bar called Rootstock. We really miss her. But Mel's adjusting to the big city with astonishing ease--this is because she actually knows how to talk to people, imagine that!--and we admire her adaptability so much. Brave girl!

Here are Jeff and Mel about one microsecond before Mel rushed the camera. Aren't they adorable? So much love for these two.

Comments

[Marne]

Hello Kelly,
I take a look at your blog from time to time and enjoy it. Have tried a couple of your recipes. Thanks! :) I am an avid viewer of Emily's channel. I work at the Chicago History Museum, in the Education Department, and now that I see you may be visiting Chicago from time to time, due to Mel's residency, I'm happy to invite you to visit the museum. We currently have a smashing costume exhibition on display, Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair. Contact me any time if you like to visit--or perhaps Mel might want to pop in with a friend. ~Marne

[Kelly]

Sweet of you to offer, Marne! Maybe we'll do it one of these days. :) Thanks--I love costume exhibitions.

[Marne]

Cool! Just call the main museum number and ask for Marne, and they'll connect you. Inspiring Beauty will be at CHM through the end of the year. P.S. Natch, I especially liked reading how you skipped the line at the Louvre! Nice work!

[Abstract Art]

Very interesting