Bit by Bit

Mexican Fishing Village. Painted whole cloth.
I am not getting much done in the studio these days. I've spent the past couple of months focused on renovating a downtown apartment we own. The building was built in 1925, very run down, and we have gutted the kitchen, bathroom and utility room. I've spent the past several weeks prepping the walls for painting and finally got started painting 10 days ago. It is still not finished in spite of my working there every day along with some help from daughter Michelle and her boyfriend, Caleb.

I usually spend about 6 hours each day. That is about as much as I can take of the paint fumes, standing on a ladder and contorting my body to reach awkward places with paint. It is a large apartment - three bedrooms, lots of windows, and it is taking two coats and it feels like forever . . . . .

We are on a time crunch, because I want to be done with the painting so the floor refinisher can come in next Monday and start sanding. I don't want to risk getting paint on newly finished wood floors, so I am trying to get the painting done now. But I must also allow time for removing the carpet, which has been glued down with a very sticky adhesive. Yuck. I am really dreading that!

By the time I get home each day, I have barely enough energy for dinner, let alone studio work. I have been trying to get a little done at the sewing machine each morning while I drink my cup of tea. It is kind of like a morning meditation for me. It might be the only thing keeping me sane right now.