In the process of documenting this piece, i’ve thought a bit how i want to describe its undertaking. A phrase, it’s the hardest thing i’ve ever done, has come to mind, but that wouldn’t be the truth. I’ve done much harder things all of which aren’t really appropriate to talk about on this blog. What i can write is that this piece has given me the confidence to keep pursuing this crazy art making thing.

Without question, this is the largest piece i’ve ever tackled. It’s also taken me the longest by far. So long that it’s actually surreal to think that it started from plain grey linen. I was going to go into a long post describing the how exactly i created this monster. But i’ll save that for another day, if ever really since i’m not sure how much you or i would learn from that. What i will write is that i have have gotten more satisfaction out observing friends and family look at and become attached to the scene in Should i get you another beer?. Even when it was far from finished, they fiercely connected with and defended the interactions that they each saw in the piece.

‘I think this is going on…’

‘No, he’s doing this…!’

‘But what about…?’

And so on…

It’s those honest to goodness interactions between real people (vs the seemingly silent 2-D people in my work) that i seek. With interactions in mind, i want to thank the friends i made up in Groningen (you know who you are!) who welcomed me into their lives and their homes last February. I would be a very different person had that visit gone differently—or at the very least wouldn’t be applying to grad school with confidence.

Thank you all for that. And to my Mom. For once it’s not all your fault. Just some of it lies at your feet this time.

So without further ado, except to write, click to make it bigger:

Should i get you another beer? 136″ by 48″, oil, charcoal pencil & pastel on linen, 2012-13