Tuesday, June 3, 2008

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

You know how what doesn't kill you makes you stronger? And there is that whole tree growing in the wind thing. Well, given the trials that this painting is going through, it is destined to be really great.
It already had a rough start. I got the drawing just so and and it needed to be cropped. We took a saw to the end and it turned out pretty straight (thank goodness for frames and their eighth inch give). Once I stared painting, I lost all self control and painted all the fun parts before it was prudent. Then...My friend's son came in my studio when we weren't paying attention (rock band can do that to you) and took a crayon to the painting. Luckily the crayon was the color of vomit, so when I threw up all over the painting it blended right in. Just kidding. I'll recover, it will just take more work and more time, which I don't have enough of as it is - but it will work out in the end. Just when I had emotionally recovered from this incident and started to really get into it...I left to make dinner and my little Ezra grabbed a brush and went to town. I've fixed it, but man! I have to say, my kids are very respectful of my paintings and have never done this before. I am grateful for that. I'm trying not to overreact and lock my door. I love that this is "our" studio and my kids get to be creative and make stuff every day. I'll just have to work harder to keep paintings out of little two-year-old reach.

8 comments:

Heather said...

I so feel for you and am praising the Lord that mine are now older and my work is no longer in danger from stray crayons. Just think how well the crayon goes with the theme though.

IronLawGirl said...

Oh NOOOOO!!! Now you can be honest with me now. Is your friend's son really a certain nephew? Or maybe even a niece who loves to color??
I'm so sorry!

Julie said...

Et tu, Ezra?

Laurie said...

Okay, so look at the big picture. Here you are painted a picture of women helping a woman put on her apron and the little fingers that necessitate the apron in the first place are "helping" as well.

Sorry for the extra work, but what a back story to the painting.

Oh yeah, you've never met me, but I saw your work in the BYU magazine and have been stalking your website and blog for a while. Love what you do, so keep doing it, even though the little ones are reeking havoc.

Vickie said...

Hi Emily,
I linked over to you from Paulette Insall. I was first, so impressed with your talent. Your paintings are beautiful. Second I was interested to find out you are James Christensen's daughter. I used to belong to a Utah Illustrators group. Your Dad was kind enough to give us a tour of his studio and talk to us about his art. He is a very nice man. Your art is very much your own, but I can see his influence on you by your delicate attention to detail and sure touch of the brush. I have put you on my favorites. You will inspire me to do better art.
I don't know if kids ever get out of the way of your art. My son is studying interior design. I go to my work space to draw or paint and find he has taken over the place with a design project. He will graduate in a year. One good thing, my oldest son has left the nest and his room is now my studio. Yay!!! I'm so happy I found your blog. :o)
Vickie

ducklips said...

I am so cringing for you. As the girl above mentioned, I do find it quite ironic. Sorry!

Hey, so you have to come try the pickles I made in my first attempt ever at canning.

Unknown said...

Kristin - relax, it was not little Gwen.

Morgen said...

When I was napping during my last pregnancy, my 3 year old took cad red and painted it all over a comission I was working on. My then 5 year old decided not to wake me and fix it herself- with a palette knife! My linen was such a fine weave that the paint just came off in chunks and I could never restore it and had to start over. I now paint on panels!