I just finished reading about Egon Schiele in Eric Kandel’s book (The Age of Insight, The Quest to Understand the Unconscious in Art, Mind and Brain). Looking at his portraits, many which were portraits of himself, I can see why he is called the Franz Kafka of modern painting. Kandel said, “… Schiele, more than any other artist of his time took an interest in his own anxiety.” While it was uncomfortable for me to show my study on sexuality yesterday, speaking from  my point of view, discomfort doesn’t begin to cover what it must have been like for public display of work like Schiele’s. Perhaps sensibilities were different back then in Vienna, circa 1900 when he painted. At any rate, Schiele seemed to conquer his anxiety, if he had any, with regard to the public display of his paintings. Shiele’s work may be found here.

Today’s study

Today is a bit of a breather for me; a pause.  After my abstract study of sexuality, I took a break to read Kandel’s book outside, on the back porch. No matter what I’m doing, I’m always game to capture an interesting scene on camera. I took a picture of my neighbor’s yard.

This is the first non-abstract painting I have done recently. While it is a bit of comic relief from the topics I have been trying to paint, it does have some relevance to the topic at hand.  It is about public airing of unmentionables. I felt no  discomfort about displaying this study for two reasons: 1) it is anonymous; 2) they are not my unmentionables.

Next Door Neighbor’s Yard
7″x10″ 140# Hot Pressed Watercolor Block

Just so you don’t think I’m making this up, here is my photo: