Apple A Day Series No. 20
7 x 7"
Watercolor with acrylic and ink on Saunders Waterford 300# Rough
It was 1958, and suddenly hula hoops were everywhere. My Apple-mind had been playing with hula hoops in a square format for over a week, and this was the day. I grabbed my paper, set up my lighting, and started drawing.
What I wasn't prepared for was the feelings. Our parents got us one, but I could never use the thing. Could. Not. I tried it several times, then gave up and went to play with something else. It doesn't seem big in my memory, but oh my. When I started to work on Apple No. 20, all kinds of feelings popped up, most of them difficult. Other kids could do it, and I couldn't. Many years and lots of physical therapy later, I understand why, but I didn't then. I just thought I wasn't as good as the other kids.
So painting this wasn't easy. In the end, though, my husband said two things when he came in to critique it: "That's different," and then, as I fought dread about what that could mean, "That's a 10." I feel like Sally Field..."He likes it; he likes it! He really likes it!"
Now when I look at it, what I see are all the lights and the beautiful colors, inside and out.
