Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Myriad, plethora, multiple objects, whole lotta stuff





As much as I love words and language, I wince when I see the words "myriad" or "plethora" in places like community newspaper columns.For example: "A plethora of events await you this weekend at the Children's Festival" or "A myriad of reasons make dining an adventure at the Bing Choi Bistro." Double-checking definitions, I can say with confidence that either word means so vastly abundant as to be uncountable; infinite/infinity...for lack of a better word. So these words in the "Features" section are not only pretentious but misused.

And how did things suddenly become "multiple"? The labelling on our
cat litter bag says: "Ideal for households with multiple cats." Whatever happened to "several", "many", "more than a few," or even "a lot of"?

I shouldn't complain. After all, a whole lotta stuff has been happening in my studio lately. You might have noticed that I have a tendency to pack a Plethora of Patterns (was that a lisp?) and Multiple Objects into my paintings. As I worked on "Channelling Matisse,"  I was struck by how almost every square inch of his original painting was covered with pattern -- and struck too by how much this appealed to me.

I decided I'd push my inclination to the limits with a painting that would indeed be comprised almost entirely of pattern. As I assembled interesting things, I couldn't resist one of the two pottery jars my photo-artist friend  gave me a year ago. Citing their delightful embossed labels she said, "Here's all you need for your painting -- 'Time' and 'Stuff.'"


I borrowed the "Stuff" jar from its usual role as a brush holder and suddenly put two and two -- or one and one -- together: With an antique watch from my mother's stash, I had the painting's theme and title: "Time and Stuff."




Other artists have had the same impulse to work with pattern. As I refreshed the reproductions I like to post in my studio, I happened on a painting featured years ago in a calendar from "The Artist" magazine. I'll show just a small section of this painting that really set me off -- with regrets that I didn't make note of the artist's name:



And take a look at contemporary artist Janet Fish, and my long-time favourite Vuillard , the latter shown here with a section of one of his richly patterned interiors:




So I set to work, and it certainly took a whole lotta time. Here's the outcome, which can be viewed in its verrrry long evolution here. (I didn't even try to caption these -- set it on "Slide Show" and let 'er rip).   (You'll also see what happens when lovely gifts enter my sphere -- the enchanting packet of Laotian green tea and the Renowned Chef's fabulous knitted bag and scarf.



As usual, once I've finished a painting, I hold a small vernissage for my original and favourite champion. As we enjoy a morning snack or pre-dinner glass of wine, he nods appreciatively and receives for all his encouragement a small souvenir of the event -- usually my little colour plan (shown above, with this post's title) for use as a bookmark. This time, he also received for his exclusive consumption, the green tea from Laos (but not the hand-painted green packet which goes home to the studio.)


2 comments:

  1. Multiple! Yes, it's so annoying. Right up there with "following" when "next" is the correct word or my all-time favorite: "begs the question" when all is meant is "raises the question." Aaargh!

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  2. Great fun to watch the development of this piece by using the slide show! As for plethora, myriad and multiple, I share your GRRRRR! Then there is all the terrible spelling and punctuation on public signs and notices... "Anal Easter Egg Hunt Next Sunday!" or

    ATTENTION
    TOILET ONLY FOR
    ELDERLY
    PREGNANT
    DISABLED
    CHILDREN

    or, "Today we are going to paste children!"

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