After having a sound sleep and a delicious brunch I wandered around Milwaukee looking for intriguing painting subjects. I biked into a heavily industrial area and set up my easel near a dilapidated warehouse. About 5 minutes into the painting a man (who claimed affiliation with a different nearby warehouse) walked over to tell me I wasn't allowed to paint there. I was on the sidewalk so I'm pretty sure that I was, in fact, 'allowed' to paint there, but I left anyhow.
I found another painting spot near the lake with a view of a coal plant. I painted for about an hour and a half, and then as I was cleaning up I knocked over my container of turpentine and it spilled on the painting. Spilling turpentine on a painting is like shaking an etch-a-sketch. I watched my efforts dissolve...
I scooped up my melted painting, packed up my painting gear, and pointed myself back towards my friends' house. While walking my bike and talking on the phone I crossed under a bridge and had a slight misunderstanding with a man who thought that perhaps I wouldn't mind if he helped himself to my phone. Wrong. I'm glad I had my mace.
Tomorrow: paint (with better luck, hopefully) on my way out of Milwaukee and bike about 50 miles to Illinois Beach State Park.
I found another painting spot near the lake with a view of a coal plant. I painted for about an hour and a half, and then as I was cleaning up I knocked over my container of turpentine and it spilled on the painting. Spilling turpentine on a painting is like shaking an etch-a-sketch. I watched my efforts dissolve...
I scooped up my melted painting, packed up my painting gear, and pointed myself back towards my friends' house. While walking my bike and talking on the phone I crossed under a bridge and had a slight misunderstanding with a man who thought that perhaps I wouldn't mind if he helped himself to my phone. Wrong. I'm glad I had my mace.
Tomorrow: paint (with better luck, hopefully) on my way out of Milwaukee and bike about 50 miles to Illinois Beach State Park.
Jen, that's an amazing story! Keep at it, I'm so impressed with what you're doing (and with your melty painting- still looks really good)! Can't wait to see/hear more!
ReplyDelete~short Jenn
Is that shiner from the dude trying to steal your phone? Boy, Jen, you are a hard-ass! Wouldn't want to come up against you in a dark alley! :)
ReplyDeleteUp side is if these shenanigans keep up you'll be able to sell the story to Random House!
ReplyDeleteJen, I am sorry that you had such an unfortunate encounter, but I'm glad that you were able to send the jerk packing. Sadly you received a painful momento. I hope this is the end such nonsense!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! Hopefully I got the drama over and done with at the beginning of the trip!
ReplyDeleteBe safe! You are a tough gal! If you need me yo meet up and help you kick some ass, just give a holler!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I missed these first posts! I'm so glad you're okay and hope that a-hole has an allergic reaction and gets hives in his eyeballs for weeks.
ReplyDeletePersonally LOVE the melted painting! You are so talented. How did I not know you were an artist, anyway?