THE DÉNOUEMENT OF VINCENT B. - Part 1 by Syd Blackwell
In 1992, Gundy replied to an ad in the Personals section of a Toronto newspaper. It was from Vincent B., an artist also living in Toronto. They talked on the telephone a few times. Eventually, they met. He shared with her some of his artwork and his love for his garden. Although no romantic interest was kindled by the meeting, they continued to communicate with each other. She would only see him two more times.
The next meeting was about a year after and the final meeting occurred in Greenwood, British Columbia, in the fall of 2006. In spite of this, communication continued by mail and phone and eventually mostly by email.
In 2002, Gundy moved to Revelstoke, where we met and married. I soon came to know Vincent through Gundy and began my own correspondence with him on the internet. I met him for the first and only time at that 2006 rendezvous in Greenwood. I did try to meet him again in Greenwood on my way out of Canada in the fall of 2007. Although he was in town and I had sent a reminder, we did not meet. He seemed to have got the dates confused. I left a number of things I had brought for him with the staff of the local museum.
Both of us continued to email Vincent from our new home in Uruguay. He enjoyed our friendship and the distances did not mean much as the relationships had always been at a distance.
Suddenly, near the end of November 2007, Vincent disappeared from the internet. Messages went unanswered. His usual mailings to us stopped. We feared something terrible had happened. Not long after, I made an attempt to contact a friend in Greenwood whose name he had mentioned many times. My only reference was her first name, June, and a connection somehow to a newspaper. I sent an email to the local paper explaining myself. They did not respond. We had no address for his daughters. We could only wait to see if an explanation would appear.
It did, in an email from Vincent. The rest of this story will be told by the subsequent exchange of emails.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Subject: Notes From Vincent B in C Minor
Dear Gundy and Syd,
Testing...testing...yes, I can be at times.
My main/internal hard-drive crashed and burned - lost everything. Well, that's one way to clean out your computer!!
I would not recommend it tho'... is costing me a small fortune. From now on I am backing up all software and important stuff on my LaCie external hard-drive.... that'll teach me!
Anyway, just a few words right now to see if this works. Shaw bought out Sunshine and am just now setting up everything on me Mac. Of course they changed all the settings..
Obviously, I want to know how you are both doing, what you have been up to and the operations are over, everything being OK & that you are having fun in the sun, i.e. everything!!
So, hope you receive this and I hear from you. I want to set up VOIP or something and buy a big cam as my fav people are spread out all over the World. Also, could you send me your mailing address again please.
Love and best wishes, as always, Vincent B.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 (later)
Hello Vincent,
Nice to hear you're still alive. I certainly had my doubts when you suddenly vanished from the airwaves (seems to me in late November or early December) and then your email seemed to be dead. I even tried to contact the Greenwood newspaper to see if they knew anything about you. I got no response. I was worried but had no idea how else to look for you or get news about you.
Anyway, Gundy had her operation on her right hip on Dec. 21 and was released from hospital on Dec. 28. Recovery has gone very well and she has few problems at all with the right side. Of course, the left is worse than ever. In fact, this afternoon, we are off to Montevideo again to see the hospital where the surgery was done. Part of an elongated process to get the second operation officially OKed and scheduled.
Anyway, we have completed nearly all the repairs on our house. When you are up and running on your new computer, join Facebook and see some of the pictures we have posted there. It costs you nothing to belong to Facebook and is a convenient way to share pictures.
Can't talk too much as it is nearly time to go to MVD. Do update what you've done in your down period.
Syd
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Hi Vincent,
We had a crazy day yesterday too, I had an appointment at the hospital in Montevideo, but our car would not start. Then Brian came by, a single American who lives also in Atlántida and likes to talk politics with Syd. He agreed to take me to the hospital, but there I was told that I did not have an appointment and need to call for a new one. I had waited 6 weeks for the appointment yesterday and today I got a new one for March 25th. That means my next operation will be only in 3 - 4 months from now..
This morning a mechanic came by and towed the car, the starter motor seems to be worn out. Also Syd had driven the car last Sunday into sand dunes and got stuck, now the motor is full of sand and has to be cleaned. He wanted to get some firewood from the pine trees for the winter, but they grow in sand. The pines are just behind the house and Syd did not want to carry the wood, so he decided it would be easier by car. Syd forgot that our car here is a sports car and not his old Toyota 4-runner, with which he went into the woods all the time.
But that is not all, to thank Brian for taking me to the clinic I invited him to eat dinner with us. By the way we had been invited for dinner at the house of friends in Montevideo after the hospital and Clara had cooked a giant Indian feast and was upset that we did not come. Back to Brian, he had his big German shepherd dog with him, a specially trained and dangerous dog, so we left the dog in our yard while driving to the clinic. Syd stayed home while we drove to the clinic, but the dog did not let him out of the house, he twice attacked Syd. During the dinner our good friend and hard worker Martin came by to see what was wrong with the car. He was scared of the dog, so Brian left his half-eaten dinner to attach the dog to the outside of our fence, so Martin could come in.
Talking with Martin we wondered what happened to Brian as he did not come back to finish his meal and 10 minutes later we heard him driving away in a great hurry without saying good-bye or anything. Five minutes later 3 police cars showed up and asked for Brian. It seems some dogs had attacked his dog when he tried to attach him, so he followed the dogs home and stabbed one and held a big knife in the face of the owner. The police took Syd to the police station where he said that he saw nothing, that he does not know Brian very well or where he lives. No news since. It seems the police can't find him, but they first thought Brian lived in our house as his truck was in front and it happened in our neighborhood.
So you see even in paradise there are problems.
Hugs
Gundy
[The dog story soon disappeared. The police who were looking for Brian could not find him even though he daily drove his red truck past their station to the downtown video store he co-owned. The dog stabbing was defensive and occurred as Brian recovered his dog which had broken free and chased the attacking dogs home. The stabbed dog was not seriously hurt and the offended owners wanted money not charges. A lawyer persuaded them to drop the matter entirely. The police never spoke to Brian, but I presume my statement is on file somewhere for some reason.]
Note: There is a missing email from Vincent, updating us with news of his life, including losing a toe and getting his car damaged.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Hola Vincent,
It is Sunday morning just after 10 here at Casa Inspiración. I read your email. Wow! You have been through a bit. The gangrene problem is bad. I hope that is not a sign of further troubles. You are diabetic aren't you? I've heard diabetics can have problems that can result in gangrene, but never really knew anyone who had such a problem, even though some of my friends and acquaintances, including my very good artist friend, G., are diabetic. I really hope that you have reached the end of these problems.
Glad to hear you seem to be coping in spite of a number of other setbacks including the car damage and non-functioning electronic equipment - computer and turntables. Can't let things like that be destructive. No point.
I think the marijuana use is probably a very good thing for you. Probably evens out all the ups and downs to a more mellow and walkable road. Funny thing is after nearly continuous daily use for about two decades, I effectively stopped cold turkey on my departure from Canada, leaving all that I still had, except for a brownie I carried on the plane with me, with my afore-mentioned friend, G., in Abbotsford. I ate half the brownie for the first half of the flight and the other half after we took off from Washington DC on the big 10.5 hour leg to Buenos Aires. It is a most civilized way to fly. Also, there is a certain amount of delight in realizing you are eating a drug-laced brownie, in front of your travelling companions, that you've carried past the paranoid US customs/security system, and they have no idea at all what's going on.
Anyway, since arrival in Uruguay, I've lived mostly drug-free. I met M., a mid-60ish retired nurse who smokes regularly. She joined Gundy and I for my birthday at a restaurant in Montevideo. Before we went to eat, M. and I shared a joint. On one other occasion, I had to go to Montevideo on my own to see our lawyer. I was early for the appointment and dropped in for another visit to M. and, of course, we shared another joint. Made the lawyer stuff a lot easier. Never did like lawyers much. And, the last usage I had was just recently when an acquaintance, an American, gave me a tiny bud for some reason. I fashioned a makeshift pipe out of tin foil and smoked it on the night of the eclipse. Gundy had long gone to bed. The eclipse didn't start here until nearly midnight and went on for a couple of hours. The drugs produced a poem (the last one below). I can't say I've really missed the marijuana very much. Have enjoyed my three little tastings, but the in-between is not filled with thoughts of how and when I'm going to get some dope. This is a bit of a revelation considering how much it was in my life.
Just thought I'd share all that with you. Not trying to give any message, just my observations of what it has been. If we get to meet again, I'm sure I'll very much enjoy sitting down and sharing a joint with you. Hope Bud the cat is doing fine too.
Back before you went incommunicado, I was sending you some poems which you often commented about. I think I'll start doing that again. Today, I've sent the four I've written since we last communicated. There are, as usual, some explanatory notes. Enjoy with a suitable mood-enhancer.
Martin, is the young Uruguayan who has done much of the renovation work on our house. We had an opportunity, finally, to visit his house, not far from where we live. We knew they were poor, but this house was a bit of a shock. It is actually owned by his father who is resident in Spain. However, even if his father were to pass away, Martin would not be the new owner. Under Uruguayan law, the house would belong to him and all his siblings. Naturally, he is not interested in improving it much; it is just a place to live. He hopes to build a new house for his family, but does not have the money, nor any real hope of getting it. He spends everything he earns just to live.
MARTIN’S MANSION
Square and squat
depressing cement grey
a prison without a perimeter fence
on land hacked from the grass and weeds
void of planted relief
Martin’s mansion looks at once
temporary and eternal
sustaining and enervating
Low and old wooden doorway to
interior white to hide encroaching mold
sheathed in dust that leaks in
with summer heat
rudimentary rooms and broken areas
dysfunctional baño y cocina
motorcycle and bike
not safe outside
share the family space
Faded photos reveal
once many more lived behind this door
squeezed impossibly
into what Martin has alone
with wife and daughter
but does not own
nor ever can alone
And he dreams of a real home
that he will own
on land of his own
which he knows he can have
when he can find
just fifteen thousand dollars
Each day they struggle to survive
but the dream always stays alive
Casa Inspiración
04/12/07
Square and squat
depressing cement grey
a prison without a perimeter fence
on land hacked from the grass and weeds
void of planted relief
Martin’s mansion looks at once
temporary and eternal
sustaining and enervating
Low and old wooden doorway to
interior white to hide encroaching mold
sheathed in dust that leaks in
with summer heat
rudimentary rooms and broken areas
dysfunctional baño y cocina
motorcycle and bike
not safe outside
share the family space
Faded photos reveal
once many more lived behind this door
squeezed impossibly
into what Martin has alone
with wife and daughter
but does not own
nor ever can alone
And he dreams of a real home
that he will own
on land of his own
which he knows he can have
when he can find
just fifteen thousand dollars
Each day they struggle to survive
but the dream always stays alive
Casa Inspiración
04/12/07
The curtains in the next poem hang on our bedroom window. The cat was outside walking along the top of the wall that separates our property from the neighbour. It is one of his fifteen cats. The morning sun behind the cat projected the cat image onto the curtains.
SATURDAY MORNING 8 am
Shadow cat strolls across
the sunlit patch
on the brown red and orange
bedroom curtains
unseen by Simon asleep
on the black and white lambs wool rug
at my feet
or Gundy whose tousled blonde head
is turned the other way
in our morning bed
Casa Inspiratión
15/12/07
Shadow cat strolls across
the sunlit patch
on the brown red and orange
bedroom curtains
unseen by Simon asleep
on the black and white lambs wool rug
at my feet
or Gundy whose tousled blonde head
is turned the other way
in our morning bed
Casa Inspiratión
15/12/07
Just before going to bed one night, I read something on the internet about the only three words in the English language that don't have any rhyme (there are actually more, but that isn't important for this poem). The three words are "purple", "orange" and "silver". As can happen, this idea wouldn't go away in my sleep and kept entering my dream mind, no matter how I tried to force myself into other thoughts. Eventually, the only way to stop it was to write this little poem in which I "found" rhymes for the words that don't rhyme.
DREAMS DON’T RHYME
Cat’s purr pulls
you into purple
Morpheus moments
where wore Ange
her dress orange
with silver fine
to pilfer time
from your rest
Casa Inspiratión
15/01/08
Cat’s purr pulls
you into purple
Morpheus moments
where wore Ange
her dress orange
with silver fine
to pilfer time
from your rest
Casa Inspiratión
15/01/08
I am not much of a fan of constellations. Never really could see what they were all about. However, while sitting out on a deck chair waiting for the eclipse, I looked directly above me and recognized I was looking at the constellation Orion. I can recognize it by the three stars in a row that are supposed to be his belt. I cannot figure out what the other surrounding stars are supposed to be, and it certainly doesn't look at all like a person to me, but I did recognize I was looking at Orion. Then the moon rose. When it was low down, the dust in the air (we've had a very dry summer) made it look very golden. It was also huge and a full moon. As it was a clear night, it was going to be a good eclipse to see. The moon moved upwards, back-lighting some trees as it passed and when it cleared these it was a brilliant white. The light caused the surrounding stars to appear much less bright than they had before the moon's ascent. I suddenly saw this as competing persons and searched into my memory for the goddess of the moon, Diana, who had now caused Orion, the hunter, to shrink from her brilliance. The extended metaphor, the personifications, just happened. The other mythological gods naturally also had to make an appearance - the Earth, offended by moon's show that night and the sun who provides the light. Don't really spend a lot of time thinking of ancient gods or anything. Just a natural flow for my mind that night.
ECLIPSE AT CASA INSPIRACIÓN
Diana’s brilliant visage in summer Uruguayan sky
diminishes nearby Orion’s lustre
She rises up behind palms and pines
silhouetting branches
Time to wait
Diana’s countenance
amber refracted through Gaia’s dusty gown
when first she came
bloomed full white as she broke free
from tree’s ineffective grip
and slipped into the graphite gray night sky
Still forty more minutes to wait
And at the appointed time Gaia
perhaps offended by Diana’s luminance this night
drew up in full blue might
cast her shadow through the night
to hide Diana’s proud face
from Apollo’s great glow
granted her a pale poor melon’s veil
to hide her immodest show
Casa Inspiración
21/02/08
Diana’s brilliant visage in summer Uruguayan sky
diminishes nearby Orion’s lustre
She rises up behind palms and pines
silhouetting branches
Time to wait
Diana’s countenance
amber refracted through Gaia’s dusty gown
when first she came
bloomed full white as she broke free
from tree’s ineffective grip
and slipped into the graphite gray night sky
Still forty more minutes to wait
And at the appointed time Gaia
perhaps offended by Diana’s luminance this night
drew up in full blue might
cast her shadow through the night
to hide Diana’s proud face
from Apollo’s great glow
granted her a pale poor melon’s veil
to hide her immodest show
Casa Inspiración
21/02/08
Well, Vincent, it's just a little after 11 on this Sunday morning and that's about it for now. We'll talk again, my friend.
Syd
Sunday, March 2, 2008 (later)
Dear Vincent, thanks for your long message, we had wondered what happened to you. Syd sent you a long message, he types faster, so mine will be shorter. Sorry to hear about all your problems, the worst being that you lost part of your little toe and all the pain you went through. What happened to your car? Accident?
I am not looking forward to my 2nd operation and the pain, but after a short time all pain will be gone and I can walk again. I hope to get it done in April or May as for now the pain in my left hip and knee is horrible, while the repaired right is perfect.
I am glad also to hear that you are going back to doing your artistic work, you have talent and some doors will open. I am getting bored doing nothing, I wish I had some artistic talent to keep myself busy. I bought some watercolor, but tried that before with disastrous results. I am tired of knitting and doing crochet all day long, I have more clothes made than I can wear and also curtains, table cloths etc..... I had hoped the B&B would have been the answer and I could do that until I turn 80, but after only 5 years I had to give it up as I could not walk the stairs anymore or bend over to make the beds. Hope I get some idea when I can move again, as I am not used to do nothing and in 2 days it is already 1 year that I am here doing nothing. Wishing you a nice and early spring, Here fall is coming and a whole week of rain after 3 months of rain-less heat and sun.
Hugs, Gundy
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Dear Gundy and Syd, Where do I begin?! Thank you both for your letters, your caring and for your great poems, Syd. Sorry for not writing sooner , Been up and down like a loo seat lately; maybe, aside from everything else I might be also edging on bi-polar! I'm copping out by answering both of your letters with this One! Not quite cricket but I'm so late in replying to you I had no choice . I'm innocent, I tell you, bloody innocent! I'm also so behind on everything again all because of the 2nd smallest appendage on my body, Well the remaining half of my little toe is healing well tho' slowly, so I guess all's well that ends well.
Well, at least I paid all my bills, 2 months rent in advance, getting more paperwork (various governments, CRA & BC Health - few more yet to do - one at a time. Also appealing CPP Disability for the 3rd time; now have two contacts - Seniors' advocates in Grand Forks and this area, who said that they could definitely assist me in this matter. If I win, this would mean an extra $900 per month to me, instead of the $460 per month I'm receiving from CPP currently. Then, in 10 months I will receive old age pension & along with CPP will receive approx. $1100 to $1200 per month, which I could live on if I only purchase the things I really need, not want. After all the paperwork is done - done a hell of a lot (for me!) already - hopefully I will be able to get back to the only two things I kinda know how to do - DTP and design for print companies & newspapers, etc, Digital Artwork on the Mac, primarily using PhotoShop, and traditional, abstract, and other art, using many mediums - but want to get into acrylics and back into pen & ink, pastels and mixed media.
Gundy, watercolours are a tricky medium to use - takes years to learn the techniques. Maybe you should start over with a range of HB to 8B graphite drawing pencils. 1st, buy a couple of cheap sketchbooks - start with a relatively small size paper, say 12" x 14". Start with still-lifes. Arrange a number of interesting items, a candle in holder, a pear and apple, couple of books, a bowl with grapes, whatever turns your fancy; all in a good natural light. At first sketch very loosely. You can always redraw 2 or 4 times, or erase ( using a "Kneaded Eraser") to change the composition. You will also need a spray can of Krylon Workable Fixative, which allows you to add overlays and change colours, esp. with soft pastels and soft coloured pencils, acrylics etc. Maybe pen and ink drawings might suit you - . that´s how I started out - pen & ink and graphite pencils. I am mainly a draftsman - only in the past 10 years I have added colours and experimented with various mediums and techniques ......studying the great artists from Leonardo, Rembrandt, Degas, thru Van Gogh and then onto Kadinsky, Pollack, Gorky, even Warhol,. among many others. Pick up ALL the art books at your library & study the drawings & paintings, their composition, colours and of course the feelings, emotions and psychological meanings, sometimes difficult to figure out with abstract stuff. Better to start out with still lifes and try portraits of Syd and yourself. Does not have to be completely realistic - then use a camera try to figure out the mood of the subject and translate that into colours. - - - -- Absolutely check out MATISSE. Then, I suggest you purchase a medium priced set of coloured pencils and maybe even a small set of soft pastels. Personally, although I learnt/was taught how to use watercolours, I mainly used them as grey & sepia washes over my pen and ink drawings, But that was in my teens & 20's - some were quite successful - still have them from the late 50s & early 60s,
This large apartment costs me around $500. per month including everything, A good deal, but then I have to purchase auto insurance, gas, auto maintenance, groceries & cat stuff; have already paid out $850. to upgrade and network my Mac. Feel i was overcharged, but he is only one of two Mac techs in Grand Forks. Still have to spend around $250. on the latest version of Quark XPress - the absolute best program for page layout, design and assembly. Unfortunately 'tis around $300. for the upgrade.
'Course, 'tis nothing compared to your surgeries Gundy, and I believe that you too Syd went thru some procedures as well; having lost all my saved emails from you two, a couple of other friends and my kids, I forget what exactly you had to have done.
My little putt-put, on Hwy.3, truck passed and threw a golf ball sized stone at driver's side window - completely shattered. Fortunately, my friend Delmer and his friend Justin found a replacement window; Justin installed it & Delmer did a lube, oil & filter change for me plus full pressure wash etc. for very little $$.
Tonight, cooking up a storm - steak & the works, watch Crimson Rivers #2 or Pirates of Carib. #2, after blowing a squif first of course! We were getting it @ $150/oz - now $160. Still not bad, usually split one with Delmer and I have cut back too. Thank the gods - turned the clocks forward - now it's light 'till 7pm; quite mild - 6 to 9c daytime, 0c night great for sleeping, and Spring is coming!
Monday: finish & mail docs & forms to BC Auto Insurance for a small rebate, housework, laundry & vacuum, dust & polish furniture - I use Orange Oil on the good furniture - mop 'n glo my 3 small tile floors and all that exciting stuff. OK, I'm finished w/me ramblings and'tis 11 pm here. Now I will blow a J - then pan fry my cheap cut 1" steak which has been marinating all day, along with ´shrooms (wish I had the other kind!), garlic & onions - - - - the mushroom gravy, red spuds & fresh carrots are ready, just have to make some garlic bread, pour a glass of white Okanogan wine - - - - then put on Crimson Rivers #2 and pig out!! Until that time - a 1/2 hr. - have Conan the Barbarian on plus 181 FM Classics hits from 60s & 70s via iTunes. Remember "Spirit in the Sky"?? Now they are playin' "Groovin' on a Sunday afternoon" & from '74 - The Guess Who. Again, thanx Syd for your glorious poems; please keep on writing. and, Gundy, hope and pray ( the Buddhist way ) for a speedy / completely successful operation. The earlier the better, no? Think of you two every day 'cause I kinda like ya and you both mean much to me! As always, Vincent B. x o x o x o x o x
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Dear Vincent,
Today the weather is not so nice, so I will try to answer your mammoth email. I am a slow typer, but Syd is better and faster on the computer, so I let him answer most of your questions.
I am glad that your little toe is healing fine- you have been lucky, it could have been worse. Also good to read you are doing so well with your paperwork and finding more money, which should make your life easier.
Oh Vincent, I am not an artist and will never be one., I can't even copy a fruit sitting in front of me. I even gave up my studies after 3 semesters in architecture d'interior ( interior designer ) in Quebec as I could not even copy the simplest things like furniture, lamps etc. One would have thought a little 3 year old was the 'artist' of my designs, I loved all the other stuff, I have good taste and a sense of colour, but the design part made me quit. When I am too bored I try to copy simple native designs in lots of colours, but usually throw it away with disgust when finished. There is no hope for me ! I had lots of books about famous painters and liked to study them. Actually Robert, my son, was a lot more talented and took the books.
Okay -you enjoy the coming Spring, have a nice Easter,
many hugs
Gundy
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Syd sent a selection of poems to Vincent. Promised to write later.
Syd
Sunday, March 2, 2008 (later)
Dear Vincent, thanks for your long message, we had wondered what happened to you. Syd sent you a long message, he types faster, so mine will be shorter. Sorry to hear about all your problems, the worst being that you lost part of your little toe and all the pain you went through. What happened to your car? Accident?
I am not looking forward to my 2nd operation and the pain, but after a short time all pain will be gone and I can walk again. I hope to get it done in April or May as for now the pain in my left hip and knee is horrible, while the repaired right is perfect.
I am glad also to hear that you are going back to doing your artistic work, you have talent and some doors will open. I am getting bored doing nothing, I wish I had some artistic talent to keep myself busy. I bought some watercolor, but tried that before with disastrous results. I am tired of knitting and doing crochet all day long, I have more clothes made than I can wear and also curtains, table cloths etc..... I had hoped the B&B would have been the answer and I could do that until I turn 80, but after only 5 years I had to give it up as I could not walk the stairs anymore or bend over to make the beds. Hope I get some idea when I can move again, as I am not used to do nothing and in 2 days it is already 1 year that I am here doing nothing. Wishing you a nice and early spring, Here fall is coming and a whole week of rain after 3 months of rain-less heat and sun.
Hugs, Gundy
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Dear Gundy and Syd, Where do I begin?! Thank you both for your letters, your caring and for your great poems, Syd. Sorry for not writing sooner , Been up and down like a loo seat lately; maybe, aside from everything else I might be also edging on bi-polar! I'm copping out by answering both of your letters with this One! Not quite cricket but I'm so late in replying to you I had no choice . I'm innocent, I tell you, bloody innocent! I'm also so behind on everything again all because of the 2nd smallest appendage on my body, Well the remaining half of my little toe is healing well tho' slowly, so I guess all's well that ends well.
Well, at least I paid all my bills, 2 months rent in advance, getting more paperwork (various governments, CRA & BC Health - few more yet to do - one at a time. Also appealing CPP Disability for the 3rd time; now have two contacts - Seniors' advocates in Grand Forks and this area, who said that they could definitely assist me in this matter. If I win, this would mean an extra $900 per month to me, instead of the $460 per month I'm receiving from CPP currently. Then, in 10 months I will receive old age pension & along with CPP will receive approx. $1100 to $1200 per month, which I could live on if I only purchase the things I really need, not want. After all the paperwork is done - done a hell of a lot (for me!) already - hopefully I will be able to get back to the only two things I kinda know how to do - DTP and design for print companies & newspapers, etc, Digital Artwork on the Mac, primarily using PhotoShop, and traditional, abstract, and other art, using many mediums - but want to get into acrylics and back into pen & ink, pastels and mixed media.
Gundy, watercolours are a tricky medium to use - takes years to learn the techniques. Maybe you should start over with a range of HB to 8B graphite drawing pencils. 1st, buy a couple of cheap sketchbooks - start with a relatively small size paper, say 12" x 14". Start with still-lifes. Arrange a number of interesting items, a candle in holder, a pear and apple, couple of books, a bowl with grapes, whatever turns your fancy; all in a good natural light. At first sketch very loosely. You can always redraw 2 or 4 times, or erase ( using a "Kneaded Eraser") to change the composition. You will also need a spray can of Krylon Workable Fixative, which allows you to add overlays and change colours, esp. with soft pastels and soft coloured pencils, acrylics etc. Maybe pen and ink drawings might suit you - . that´s how I started out - pen & ink and graphite pencils. I am mainly a draftsman - only in the past 10 years I have added colours and experimented with various mediums and techniques ......studying the great artists from Leonardo, Rembrandt, Degas, thru Van Gogh and then onto Kadinsky, Pollack, Gorky, even Warhol,. among many others. Pick up ALL the art books at your library & study the drawings & paintings, their composition, colours and of course the feelings, emotions and psychological meanings, sometimes difficult to figure out with abstract stuff. Better to start out with still lifes and try portraits of Syd and yourself. Does not have to be completely realistic - then use a camera try to figure out the mood of the subject and translate that into colours. - - - -- Absolutely check out MATISSE. Then, I suggest you purchase a medium priced set of coloured pencils and maybe even a small set of soft pastels. Personally, although I learnt/was taught how to use watercolours, I mainly used them as grey & sepia washes over my pen and ink drawings, But that was in my teens & 20's - some were quite successful - still have them from the late 50s & early 60s,
This large apartment costs me around $500. per month including everything, A good deal, but then I have to purchase auto insurance, gas, auto maintenance, groceries & cat stuff; have already paid out $850. to upgrade and network my Mac. Feel i was overcharged, but he is only one of two Mac techs in Grand Forks. Still have to spend around $250. on the latest version of Quark XPress - the absolute best program for page layout, design and assembly. Unfortunately 'tis around $300. for the upgrade.
'Course, 'tis nothing compared to your surgeries Gundy, and I believe that you too Syd went thru some procedures as well; having lost all my saved emails from you two, a couple of other friends and my kids, I forget what exactly you had to have done.
My little putt-put, on Hwy.3, truck passed and threw a golf ball sized stone at driver's side window - completely shattered. Fortunately, my friend Delmer and his friend Justin found a replacement window; Justin installed it & Delmer did a lube, oil & filter change for me plus full pressure wash etc. for very little $$.
Tonight, cooking up a storm - steak & the works, watch Crimson Rivers #2 or Pirates of Carib. #2, after blowing a squif first of course! We were getting it @ $150/oz - now $160. Still not bad, usually split one with Delmer and I have cut back too. Thank the gods - turned the clocks forward - now it's light 'till 7pm; quite mild - 6 to 9c daytime, 0c night great for sleeping, and Spring is coming!
Monday: finish & mail docs & forms to BC Auto Insurance for a small rebate, housework, laundry & vacuum, dust & polish furniture - I use Orange Oil on the good furniture - mop 'n glo my 3 small tile floors and all that exciting stuff. OK, I'm finished w/me ramblings and'tis 11 pm here. Now I will blow a J - then pan fry my cheap cut 1" steak which has been marinating all day, along with ´shrooms (wish I had the other kind!), garlic & onions - - - - the mushroom gravy, red spuds & fresh carrots are ready, just have to make some garlic bread, pour a glass of white Okanogan wine - - - - then put on Crimson Rivers #2 and pig out!! Until that time - a 1/2 hr. - have Conan the Barbarian on plus 181 FM Classics hits from 60s & 70s via iTunes. Remember "Spirit in the Sky"?? Now they are playin' "Groovin' on a Sunday afternoon" & from '74 - The Guess Who. Again, thanx Syd for your glorious poems; please keep on writing. and, Gundy, hope and pray ( the Buddhist way ) for a speedy / completely successful operation. The earlier the better, no? Think of you two every day 'cause I kinda like ya and you both mean much to me! As always, Vincent B. x o x o x o x o x
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Dear Vincent,
Today the weather is not so nice, so I will try to answer your mammoth email. I am a slow typer, but Syd is better and faster on the computer, so I let him answer most of your questions.
I am glad that your little toe is healing fine- you have been lucky, it could have been worse. Also good to read you are doing so well with your paperwork and finding more money, which should make your life easier.
Oh Vincent, I am not an artist and will never be one., I can't even copy a fruit sitting in front of me. I even gave up my studies after 3 semesters in architecture d'interior ( interior designer ) in Quebec as I could not even copy the simplest things like furniture, lamps etc. One would have thought a little 3 year old was the 'artist' of my designs, I loved all the other stuff, I have good taste and a sense of colour, but the design part made me quit. When I am too bored I try to copy simple native designs in lots of colours, but usually throw it away with disgust when finished. There is no hope for me ! I had lots of books about famous painters and liked to study them. Actually Robert, my son, was a lot more talented and took the books.
Okay -you enjoy the coming Spring, have a nice Easter,
many hugs
Gundy
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Syd sent a selection of poems to Vincent. Promised to write later.
