Fake Joints and Other Fixes

In the wake of my show last February I wasn't prepared to take on any new projects. I did, however, have a few "finished" paintings around the studio that had some issues. As a general rule I am reluctant to re-visit completed works as past attempts have yielded mixed results. But most of these paintings seemed eminently correctable needing only minor changes and clarifications. One work, a 17 year old still life, proved a bit more complicated.

Album Cover Still Life, oil on canvas, 18" X 22", 1999-2016

The birth place of this painting was a cramped dark attic studio in the late 1990's. It was apparent that I had been overly influenced by the environment and the result was a very dark painting. The value of whole areas needed to be lightened and of course one change necessitated another. Ultimately the project spanned several weeks and required recreating most of the original setup (including rolling a fresh joint - cigarette tobacco this time).  It is a lot easier to hit the "enhance" button on a photo app.