Red CROCS by Nancy Standlee

$70.00
6" x 8"
Acrylic on artist canvas panel

Red Crocs
I mentioned in a post of my recent experience at Tampa General. Instructions stated to wear something loose and comfortable for admitting. Crocs fit that description and I needed a red something for flash since I couldn’t have my turquoise jewelry or makeup. Soon after I entered their covered pavilion walkway, I was stripped and told to wear their duds consisting of a back tied skimpy gown and blue paper shoes. I would always choose cute red plastic over blue paper in footwear. My comfy clothes were deposited in a large white plastic tote along with my Crocs. I thought the medical profession liked Crocs. (The Crocs company doesn’t call it plastic but a material called Croslite.)
Are my red Crocs the ultimate shoe faux pas – worse than wearing white shoes after September 1? At my age I really don’t need to fall and the Crocs are steadying forces, not unlike my last summer sandals, MBT. I became a little concerned when I was given a dvd explaining how to walk in them after I wrote the check. I thought I had walking down pretty pat. When reaching senior years your kids sometimes take away your car keys, but mine have been threatening to take away my MBTs because of the rocking motion when I come to a stop. Forward is ok. So far they haven’t threatened to take away the red Crocs and I really do feel like a shoe fashionista when wearing them. What artist would not like the wonderful palette of colors in fuchsia, green, purple, yellow and good old red.
The painting style is different today, more whimsical, and smaller in size, fun to paint. I’m not ready to pin down my “style”. After retiring I thought a few lessons would become a nice little leisure activity but it has become a way of life.
May the tread on your Crocs never wear down.

Exit

10” x 8” acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper, without mat or frame, $100.00 In the FWCAC show.
Figurative themes interest me. Put a figure in your painting and that becomes the center of interest. Ideas for paintings are generated by life, a photo, an image or pulled from your imagination and then allowing yourself to be creative. “Paint something you’ve never seen before” is a Robert Burridge quote. Break some rules. It takes courage to take a pristine piece of expensive watercolor paper and throw a “blob” of acrylic gesso in the center and spread it out – that’s a huge rule breaker. (More on gesso in today’s Burridge newsletter.) There are many rules on how to handle a piece of watercolor paper with traditional methods. But if you break some rules and splash on color, look for interesting shapes and images, scratch into the surface and let the painting evolve sometimes you’ll find some magic. What appeared to me was a figure in flight, an exit. Each person will have their own interpretation. One week ago today, June 21, 2007, I was in Tampa General having numerous Sestamibi scans for a possible surgery. At the end of a very long morning, Dr. James Norman came to the foot of my bed and said “Goodbye. Are we still friends?” I was disappointed that I couldn’t be helped but so glad to be out in the Tampa sunshine looking for a cup of coffee - A celebration, a rethinking, a bump in the road, an Exit.