Felt like crap all day. New field easel arrives. I miraculously recover.

I audibly gasped with delight when I looked out the window and saw the box. Street legal at 13 pounds and yes, I already weighed a canvas so I know what my limit is.

In other news, I took a painting off life support, made two small drawings for the SMMoA shindig and stretched and primed some more supports. 

A relatively boring day at the office. 

#AmtrakResidency, I am still here. [tap, tap tap.] 

Dear Amtrak, If there is a Train God, I should have a really good shot at the #AmtrakResidency.

http://www.thewire.com/culture/2014/02/inside-amtraks-absolutely-awesome-plan-give-free-rides-writers/358332/

Yes, it's true, one of my more interesting gigs was as a dining car waitress one summer. And in case that's not enough to bag this gig, I met my half-sister for the first and only time when we had an overnighter in Seattle. And the guy who gave me his copy of Willa Cather's My Antonia out in the middle of nowhere when I told him I was an artist and a writer— I should bag a couple more points for that anecdote as well. And to take it back even further, right now in the studio, I am using a Pullman dining car towel from the last train ride out of Nashville. We didn't steal it. Promise. I swear I remember my mom asking if we could have it. There's more, but let's get me on that train with a laptop, shall we? 

Your truly, 

Mary Addison Hackett

Mid-career funk.

Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life. It can also be used as a term to define the actions people take to help relieve persisting feelings of depression or general sadness. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escapism

Rx: Treated myself to a new field easel. 

If I'm going to escape the banalities of life, I should have a bigger easel and a tank of diesel. 

Mary Addison Hackett, 2012

Old Rockhounds

oil on canvas

16" x 14 "

OPENING David Lusk Gallery

OPENING
David Lusk Gallery
celebration:
sat 1 mar, 5:30-9 pm
exhibition:
1-29 mar, 2014

OPENING, on view through March 29, includes approximately 40 works in a broad mix of media, including painting, sculpture, photography and installation. Artists are featured in OPENING: Bruce Brainard, Carroll Cloar, Maysey Craddock, Hamlett Dobbins, Wayne Edge, William Eggleston, Ted Faiers, Beth Foley, Huger Foote, Mary Addison Hackett, Tyler Hildebrand, Kathleen Holder, Leslie Holt, Paul McLean, Greely Myatt, Kit Reuther, Rana Rochat, Peggy Root, Mark Bradley-Shoup, Anne Siems, Jared Small, Kelly S Williams, and Tad Lauritzen Wright

For further information, a tour, and/or visuals, please contact Veronica at veronica@davidluskgallery.com or Dane at dane@davidluskgallery.com

At this rate, I will be showing blank canvases.

Artwork for sale.

The dog had emergency surgery today and I'm holding a benefit sale to help cover the expenses. He ate  some of his blanket, after being totally content with sleeping on it for the last 2 years. It caused a blockage and other complications. He made it through surgery and we should know more over the next couple of days. I uploaded some more animal paintings to the website.  Apparently, animals feature more prominently in my work than I thought.

 I included the pipe because I like it next to "Postcard Dog."

I can also do commission work, relative to this fundraiser. If you're interested, contact me via my website. Once his bills are paid, I'll set aside a percentage from this body of work to help other animal organizations in need.

http://maryaddisonhackett.com/otto-surgery-benefit-sale

Phase 1: containers and kayaks.

Phase 1 in which I purchase (15) 12-gallon flip-top containers and later dream I am in an ocean in the middle of the night kayaking to nowhere in particular. I experince a feeling of hope and peace. I am in motion. 

Wiki entry

I've started noticing that everyone has a Wikipedia entry. You really don't need to accomplish anything. Just hire an intern. The less adept at complex sentence structure, the better.

Early life

Her mother was the daughter of the renown Victorian Red Cross volunteer and philanthropist noted for her charity work. Her father scribbled columns of large numbers on envelopes. She credits a visit to a hog farm and piece of barbwire nearly blinding her as a child, along with a gift of a western saddle, but no horse, as events that impacted her decision to become an artist. [2] [14]

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I'm also on tumblr.

I've had a mostly anonymous tumblr account for a few years.

http://painterperson.tumblr.com

Happy New Year's Eve.

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I've edited this post like 3 times in an effort to end the year on a positive spin. And maybe it is. But in leu of getting terribly excited about the usual ups and downs, I'll just redirect you to Dave Hickey's resignation from the Art World last year.

So long, 2013.

 

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OPS Studio Notes 12.26.13

I'm not scheduled for field work until after the New Year, hence Studio notes. I'm not sure why I've justified the messy and time-consuming process of actually making my own linen panels from scratch, but indeed, this is what I have been doing among other end of the year tasks. In preparation for my project (OPS) I had already cut, primed and sanded a half sheet of birch ply. I was ready to go. But no, not good enough. I suddenly needed these panels to be linen. Fair enough, but why the 1/4" panels? Why not just go on and stretch them on stretcher bars? Good question. Theoretically, these are supposed to be studies, only they're not. They are alla prima paintings. I figured if I kept them on flat panels, I'd be more spontaneous. Mind games.

I also think it was a ploy to prolong the inevitable year-end avalanche of paperwork.
They've turned out quite nicely.

Step 1: Cut panels

Step 2: Prime wood

Step 3: Cut linen, allowing about 1/2" for overlap 

Step 4: I used Gac 100 to glue the linen to the primed wood. 

Step 5: Working fast, squeegee out any air bubbles on front and back and wrap edges neatly on back. 

Step 6: Clamp or weight linen panels, preferably overnight.

Step 7: Gesso linen. Two coats.  Allow to dry between coats.

Step 8: Lightly sand.

Step 9: Apply a third coat of gesso and sand, if you are picky. If you're like, whatevah sister, that's a bunch of friggin work for your silly ass au plein air panels, then you can skip steps 2-9. 

I FINALLY sutured an old Gap Sweater that unravelled several years ago after only three months of normal use. At that point it became a favorite studio sweater. I love it even more now and consider it now fit for public outings.