The bench looked as though Zeus’s butt may have graced it at one time long ago. It had weathered Corinthian columns that supported it – white to gray with age and it nearly melted into the 67 kinds of green in the gardens. At least it appeared to merge on the paper of his watercolor pad sitting on the grass in front of him. The day was ending hot and muggy like only Athens in Summer can. And he wavered between drinking the last of his fresh water or starting another painting as he looked down upon the muddy warm brown of his painting cup.
It was almost sunset but he was sure he could fit in another quick one in the fading, quickly changing light.. Yes, use the water to paint – drink a beer on the way back to the hotel. The bushes were so perfect, so well kept like little pawns in front of the queen tall trees. Funky Greek trees that didn’t look like anything back home with just so many greens. Purple shadows falling fast and it was time to paint. It would have to be a quick one. Focus. Fast strokes, wet on wet. no time to let it dry – have to enjoy the happy mistakes that happen on the page.
Sometimes he felt that his wasn’t the road of perfect paintings. That was his brother’s path. Controlled color to make light on the page. No. His strength had always been to emote through pigment and strokes. He could spend hours crafting and planning. Mixing colors only to be disappointed four paintings later when he compared his paintings to his brother’s on a cafe table between the Amstel bottles and olive bowls.
But his best was always a moment captured. A sunset dipping into the Aegean or chasing the color of a shadow as it melted to dark. He would still see his work as just short of his brother who always had the natural gift. Always a better draw-er.Always more finished. But his was earned. He had so much less natural ability but his path wasn’t the easy one. Never had been in painting or otherwise. So he mixed. Pierced the little cerulean blue and payne’s gray puddle with his #7 Windsor Newton and gestured Zeus’s bench. Half present, half anticipating the cold beer and comparisons.
realreally 