After a few trying days, a long-distance friend sent me a link to a Guy Clark song with the assurance, “I promise it will speak to you”. I’ve never been too big on country music, but I followed the advice, clicked the link, and listened. And I’ve been listening on repeat for the last few weeks because, just as he’d promised, it speaks to me. My three year old son could probably recite the whole thing, we listen to it in the car so much.
This painting was created in conjunction with the heron painting I posted a few days ago. I was in a building mode. A pile 
of commissions, the peak of wedding season, and all I wanted to was to play around on the canvas. And build. Not something someone else wanted me to build, but something that spoke to where I was at that exact moment.
I used my palette knife just as I always do. But this time I used the point, dug into the paint to make scratchy little lines, the sound of which was satisfying.
I hear people say all the time that art is therapy. If it’s true, for me, it’s quite often the scratching, swishing, scraping, the building and rebuilding, that packs the most impact. The product that results is lagniappe.
Boats to Build
Guy Clark
It’s time for a change
I’m tired of that same ol’ same
The same ol’ words the same ol’ lines
The same ol’ tricks and the same ol’ rhymes
Days precious days
Roll in and out like waves
I got boards to bend I got planks to nail
I got charts to make I got seas to sail
I’m gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
Itll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
‘Cause I’ve got boats to build
Sails are just like wings
The wind can make ’em sing
Songs of life songs of hope
Songs to keep your dreams afloat
I’m gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It’ll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
‘Cause I’ve got boats to build
Shores distant shores
Theres where I’m headed for
Got the stars to guide my way
Sail into the light of day
I’m gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It’ll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
‘Cause I’ve got boats to build
June 8, 2016
Share Post
One of the first things I remember learning as a child was the concept of patterns. Teachers seemed to be...
After kicking off 2024 with a (mostly) small painting a day in my annual 31 in 31 practice, I was...
“If You Want to go Far” 24×30 inches, oil on canvas I started this month with a bike, and...
Become a member and enjoy early access to new releases, exclusive discounts, and a new wallpaper for your computer or tablet. Elevate your art journey with us.
This following document sets forth the Privacy Policy for this website. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Crh), which sets out a number of principles concerning the privacy of individuals using this website.
We collect Non-Personally Identifiable Information from visitors to this Website. Non-Personally Identifiable Information is information that cannot by itself be used to identify a particular person or entity, and may include your IP host address, pages viewed, browser type, Internet browsing and usage habits, advertisements that you click on, Internet Service Provider, domain name, the time/date of your visit to this Website, the referring URL and your computer’s operating system.
Participation in providing your email address in return for an offer from this site is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose your information. You may unsubscribe at any time so that you will not receive future emails.
Your personal information that we collect as a result of you purchasing our products & services, will NOT be shared with any third party, nor will it be used for unsolicited email marketing or spam. We may send you occasional marketing material in relation to our design services. What Information Do We Collect? If you choose to correspond with us through email, we may retain the content of your email messages together with your email address and our responses.