What did the neighbors think when they saw me down on my knees in the middle of the driveway? The few that ventured closer saw that I was jamming red polymer into some thin cracks that had developed near the corners of the pavement.
In the wider areas, slices of bright patterned canes decorated my ragged red lines. The summer sun began the baking process and a heat gun finished the job.
This small, manageable art project felt appropriate as we waited for word on the health of my husband's elderly mother. This was something I could fix and make better. I could control the outcome and it made me feel helpful. I patched the driveway.
Polymer is not just for earrings, you know. Sometimes it brings a smile or makes a statement. Will my art make it through Ohio's freezing and thawing winter? Who knows how long anything will last?
My husband has begun pointing out other possibilities for my artwork. What will the neighbors think? (Here are the original canes based on an antique Iraqi kilim.)
Elizabeth Sperandio ,
You know, it took awhile before acrylic paint was accepted as a medium on to itself. This was because artists recognized its unique properties and spoke to and with those properties.
It is always good to see the expansion of the medium, it is long overdue for its place in the sun…(literally here)
Susan ,
This is both lovely and an excellent coping skill. It reminds me of the time I painted an old wooden office chair (for my classroom), to help me cope with my mother’s serious illness. The chair is still with me, still fabulous, covered with layers of my favorite colors, glitter, and glitter stars. Every time I see it I think of my mother and smile. Your driveway will bring you much joy, whether it makes through the winter or not.