So, despite not having the money for these things, I went out and bought them anyway. I do hate buying art supplies here in Tampa, as I’m invariably swindled, at some point in the operation. That stupid little bottle of damar? $6.50. That beeswax? Fourteen bucks. It’s criminal. And what’s more, that beeswax included the most unsettling product warning that I’ve come across in years: (not as disturbing as the running should that warned that the manufacturer would not be liable for any injury or death that occurred while using the product) “Yaley’s natural beeswax is so pure, it may contain honey bees and/or parts of honeybees.”
Begging your pardon, M./Mme. Yaley, but I would, and I feel I’m justified in this matter, consider parts of insects to be an impurity, as what I purchased (or thought I was purchasing) was 100% natural beeswax, not 100% natural wax and bees. The copper plates were a lucky stroke, though. I’ve had a small piece in mind for some time now, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it until these came along. More on that later.
Oh, right. Because maybe committing to it in a semipublic form will actually encourage me to see it through, I think I’m going to take a crack and submit work to this particular call. I don’t think I’m really who they had in mind (not Canadian, not a woman), but maybe this painting would work for their purposes, at least. I’d rather submit one of the birds, but I’m worried that the link might seem too tenuous. I’d need to write an artist statement (something I haven’t done in years and have never done particularly well) and a bio (something I’ve never had to do, period), and I’d probably have to give cam’s address in Winnipeg so it looked like I was actually living in Canada at the time of the deadline. But it might be worth it. I don’t know.
Oh, and lastly, I’ve been pegged to design the August/September cover of this magazine. It’s nice; small print run (3500), but full color, and something legitimate to put on a CV (I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to start taking off the filler material I’ve included on there, to date). I have no idea what I want to do for it, mind you, but it’s still a nice thing. Anyway, I have, like, two months to come up with something, so I should be fine. No sense in fretting.
