A Peek in the Kettle

Back to work... for the moment

2012-01-30T19:37:00.000-08:00

I've been painting again. I put the easel in the kitchen and put all of my art supplies and all of preschool art supplies in drawers and cupboards by the kitchen table. It has been awesome. We do a lot more crafting now that everything is accessible.

one of our treasure supply drawers

I finally got the nerve to put brushes on this painting again and for three nights I have made major changes to it. I like it better every time I paint. It's still only 1/2 way done, but I'm getting the vision of how to finish it finally, and I love the concept. I'm considering entering it in the Spring Salon. We will see how it turns out.

I've had a painting block and I finally decided it had a lot to do with how I felt about myself. Sacrafice is the name of the game right? Well, there has to be balance, which I have to learn more about and I have eroded boundaries. I'm working on accepting and loving myself more so I can get out what is in my heart. It's worth it because when I paint I feel alive and like I have a special power of expression that fills me up. I really enjoy it even when it hurts like crap. When my talent improves it won't hurt so much. (I hope).

confession: I suffer from sexism. I don't give women, even myself, enough credit. It must stop and I'm analyzing it in all aspects of my life. Allowing myself more feminine power and believing in myself, as a woman is essential. I see women all around me apologizing for themselves and deferring to their male counterparts. I watch women take a back seat all the time. I do it all the time! It's not right and it's not what God wants, but we sure get a lot of mixed messages about this from our culture. I think I will paint a lot better when I get a better grasp on this.

Toilet paper rolls gone trendy

2012-01-29T18:12:00.000-08:00

This started as a preschool craft for Joren but he refused to paint them so I got busy later that evening. I found that I really enjoyed painting on the brown cardboard. It has a nice tooth and I like the rustic type finish with a gloss medium over it. I think I'll do more of this medium. Why am I just like everyone else and totally endeared by owls?

2012-01-22T21:25:00.001-08:00

What was any art but a mould in which to imprison for a moment the shining elusive element which is life itself - life hurrying past us and running away, too strong to stop, too sweet to lose.
-Willa Cather

Janese's house

2011-02-06T19:49:00.000-08:00

Tea Party

2010-07-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

My friend Ashley commissioned me to paint a set of paintings for her daughters' room. She let me sort of help pick the colors and assist in finding fabrics and developing ideas.. although almost all the credit to how cute the room is goes to her. She has such great vision.
I got to deliver the first of the two paintings this weekend and was thrilled that she really loves them. I can't wait to start the next one.

Vintage name drawings

2010-07-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

I just delivered these two name drawings today. The women that ordered them wanted me to match a name drawing she had done back in the 70's. It had a really cute vintage feel to it and I basically copied the style exactly but with new themes and names. I think they turned out pretty cute and I found that I enjoy drawing little cartoon girls. So, I used them in my most recent painting (shown in the next post.)

2010-01-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

If you have been a long time follower of my painting you might remember a very similar painting I did a few years back. This is almost an exact duplicate of my first painting called "Driving South". I started the original painting in Utah and used photos I had taken on my drives through southern Utah, but I wasn't able to pull it together and finish it until I moved to Missouri. The painting became all about Missouri and the rural life I was living there. I have a good friend here in MI, who had a similar dreamy experience in Kirksville MO, asked me to recreate this painting with a few variations for her boys nursery. She got photos of the actual street signs where she used to live and the major roads through town. The girl on the haystack in front of the barn is a photo of her daughter which was taken in Misosuri. The horseshoe is from Nauvoo, a similar meaningful town, and the maps show where Kirksville is located. Pancake city was special to their family because it was the Saturday morning breakfast treat for Dad and the kids every week.
The painting is 24" x 24" and I hope it proves to be a fun and meaningful keepsake for them for many years to come.

I enjoyed painting this so much that I have been considering doing a whole series in this collage/ modge podge rural, bright sun style.
Any thoughts on that anyone?

Finn

2009-11-22T19:58:00.001-08:00

Kaly

2009-11-21T12:50:00.001-08:00

I will soon upload pictures of the room I designed this painting to go with. Kaly's mom chose a Pottery Barn quilt with circles in pink and green for her daughter and I designed the painting and room to match.
I have to give credit to Liz Tran, an amazing artist for the idea on this painting. I am definitely in her debt.
This painting is 24" x 36". I's one of my biggest yet, and definitely the largest name painting that I have done. It was a lot of fun to have a bigger canvas to fill up. I will definitely do more large paintings after this.

Dragons about

2009-10-30T20:14:00.001-07:00

I have been working on designing my friend Janese's house. We did all new flooring, (6" plank dark hardwood with a hand hewn look; SO gorgeous! We did all new paint, and lots of new furniture and accessories.

This is what we did in her son's room.

We ended up getting a different Quicksilver bedspread in tan orange and chocolate stripes.
But we still needed some artwork. She hired me to do 2 paintings for his room. I chose really warm grey in two values for the walls with deep orange as the accent color and her son is Way into dragons. So he got dragons.

This one is a rough take on a topographical view of a lake in Siberia frozen over called Dragon Lake.

I think they turned out pretty cool and I hope he really likes them. (he seemed to, but it's sort of hard to tell with teenage boys.)

Feedback please.

Yellow Morning

2009-09-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Eric used to say that there are two kinds of painters; those who do real art, and those that paint something to match your furniture. I have resented that assumption for years because I think I can do both. Since I am often designing the room the painting will go in as well, I often think of the art as an accessory. I always think about the room the painting is going to go in before I paint because a painting that has no reference to the space doesn't have as much meaning. This painting, however, might have been a bit of a turning point for me. I felt like it came straight from my heart. I didn't create it to match anything except what was going on inside me. It was very liberating to paint with no destination in mind. I love it finished and want to design a room for it to go in. This time the art definitely comes before the room. I think it would look great above a mantle or even a small couch. I love that it is in panels. It is also on canvas that is 2 1/2" thick which makes it really cool from the side too.

in progress...

first analysis.... needed a few changes....

Finished!
I would love feedback on this one, negative and positive... what do you see, how does it make you feel? Would you like it in your home? Where does it belong?

Olivia!

2009-09-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest. This goes with a set of 3 I did previously. I'm really happy with it and can't wait to do more. Doing this painting made me fall in love with the name Olivia! I hope they love it!

Thomas

2009-08-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

This zoo themed painting is for a darling girl from the UK named Sam who is giving it to her friend when baby Thomas is born. She asked me to add the fantasy character you can see peeking between the M and the A. He is from a popular cartoon in the UK. It's a running joke between the families. What a great idea to personalize this already unique shower gift. I hope baby Thomas loves it.

Jack

2009-08-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

I finished this name painting for little Jack.
He better be a patient little baby because he had a bit of a wait on this one. I hope he loves it!

High End Hobbit Hole- named by my husband

2009-07-24T19:29:00.001-07:00

HeLLOOOO!!

Whaaaam! It hit me. I don't know where it came from, but the creative juice is back. I can't sleep at night, my head is spinning with ideas, I can't get enough of creative blogs and etsy sites, and I have gotten up to sketch at 3:00AM more than once this week.
It's like breathing again...
And, I'm not bi-polar, but if I were, this would be my manic phase. Being pregnant this time sapped everything. (not pregnant anymore if you hadn't heard. Will try again in ... who knows.)

Artistic inspiration of late:
The premier of this season's Design Star , my favorite show was last Sunday. I know these people are super talented, but I was sad that I was quite disappointed in their rooms for the first challenge. I know the hardest part for me would be collaborating ideas with people you just met and it seemed that was the competitor's biggest challenge too, which seemed to diminish the quality of all the rooms. I wanted to see great work, inspiring, original brave work, but what I saw was a lot of Metropolitan Home wantabe, trendy, unoriginal stuff. I'm not being totally fair, but I had really high hopes. So as I wait for next week I have been on a roll sketching up ideas for rooms.
I got one in my head that is probably for a limited audience aka: me. I don't know how many other people would like this room, but I know I would love it.
I should explain the architecture that I have in mind for this room. The house is probably a little something like this:

except that I think the windows are going to have white trim and deep windowsills. The ceilings are high and the living space is very open with big windows to help balance the dark woods.

I already have the dinnerware set, so I'm on my way!

I didn't find the right armoir to show, but the design needs a big heavy dark wood armoir with deep shelves. The collection of white owls (like cookie jars, all large) would be displayed in the armoir with some vintage plates and platters mixed in.
The kitchen cabinets are med colored wood, shaker style with the little red toadstools for drawer pulls.
The sketch below is pretty worthless and you probably can't read a word of it, but if you need more details, let me know.
I have references for most of the above items. If you love my design, you can use my ideas, just make sure you send me finished photos and reference me.

I'm not quitting

2009-06-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

I get sad when I think about how neglected my art blog has been lately. I have hit a major inspiration slump. After the Missouri job (the 4 huge rooms of murals in 2 weeks) I sort of needed some down time. It took it out of me for a while. Then, I'm never my best in Jan/ Feb. Usually it's the best I can do to sew a little. March hit and it was still major winter around here and I was doing my best to keep the little ones entertained and myself in good spirits and then in April I got pregnant with #3. I try not to be a complainer, but if I had any creative juices in me, they all went straight to my core and drained out of my brain. I drew a little sketch of how I've been feeling which tries to show how being pregnant has seeped away all my will to be awake and do anything but gestate and try not to throw up. If I were to actually get out my paints I would paint this with all grays and browns and bright beautiful colors in the flowers fading out around them. The boys also need to be pulling a lot harder to make it more realistic and interesting. Initially I wanted Joren wrapped around and crawling up my leg and me partially falling over, but that would require drawing another face which I didn't have the energy for at the time.

So, even though I know there are only a few of you that check this blog, for those of you devoted readers, I just want to put it out there that I have not given up, I'm just taking a break for a while. I am actually packing up the studio into a storage unit and making the room into a play room. It will be much more useful that way. We will move next summer and by then my baby will be a few months old and maybe by then I will have some inspiration back. And then, we will have more space.

I get wistfall and nostalgic about letting something so dear to me rest. I used to think that art was so inherent to who I am that if I let it go I would cease to be me. I've learned that is not true, although as I search to find my authentic self at this moment I will miss painting, but like my mom did, I will come back to it and when the time is right I will paint again with more experience and time to devote to it, and hopefully more love in my heart. This life is all about that right? The ebb and flow. Giving and taking. Now is my time to give.. and give and give. I always felt sad and guilty that my mom gave up painting for us kids. I thought it was my fault, but she always said that was how it should be, and now is her time to paint again. She said mothering is it's own creative endeavor. I know that's true and I am putting all my energy into that right now.

So, don't hold your breath for a new painting any time soon, but if I do one, you'll be the first to know.

2009-02-13T23:05:00.000-08:00

When I find a new painter that I love, I get so excited. I feel like so many people are painting what I am supposed to be painting. Here is an artist that I totally get. Although it will be many years before I get how to paint like he does. (that's hopeful right?) Here is one of my favorites by Paul Ferney:

More Murals

2008-12-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! I am so excited to show you yhese pictures of the murals I did in Missouri!
enjoy

I got lots of help on the backgrounds on these starry night paintings. Thanks everyone.

Hey everybody! I am so excited to show you

Flowers in the Cellar

2008-10-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

My in-laws wanted their basement to be more cheerful so they asked me to paint some flowers in the stairwell. I was excited to do it in honor of my grandpa who painted his stairwell with flowers. So here it is:

I had to give directions to my father in law to finish the stairs since I didn't get time to add the middle tones and greens for grass and moss in the edges of the stones (so don't look too closely at the stairs), but the flowers are done and I think it turned out very sweet.
I was inspired for this a bit by one of my favorite artists "Kim Parker" Thanks Kim for your awesome work. (Her link is on my sidebar if you want to check out her work.)

Missouri Murals

2008-10-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Leah called me out of the blue a few weeks ago to see if I was available to come to Missouri to paint some murals for a new church called "The Crossing" that is opening on Nov. 2 in our old town. It worked out great for me to go to Missouri on our way home from Oregon and stay there to paint. I knew it was a big job but when I got there I realized it was a REALLY big job. They wanted murals on almost every wall in 4 large rooms and I didn't have much time since my kids would have to be babysat every minute I was painting and I would have to stay with someone the whole time I was there. A house guest for a week is one thing, but 2 weeks/ 3 weeks... that's a lot. So I tried to hurry. I painted everyday from 9-5 and then from 8-midnight for two weeks straight with only a few breaks. It was super intensive and I painted more than I have ever painted before in my life. I had tons of fun and stressed myself out quite a bit and would do it all again because it was so rewarding. Leah hooked me up with some great babysitters. Janelle was awesome! My kids were excited to go to her house every day. (Thanks Janelle!) And staying with Leah and Joe was an absolute treat. They were a lot of fun.

I painted 4 rooms:
A jungle room: Before
during:

and after:

An Under the Sea Room : Before
After:

Thanks Chase who painted the seahorse and Katherine who helped with the Angel fish. It was fun to work with you guys! I also had tons of help with rolling, edging and blending. Thanks to everyone!

A Starry Starry Night room: This is completed but I totally forgot to take pictures. Boo. I'll get some for you soon. It turned out so fun!

And a Garden Room, which turns out will be more like a Missouri farmland room. I worked (like I said) like a crazy woman for 2 weeks and when I hit the day before I was scheduled to go home and there was way more left than I could do in one day I called it quits and headed for home. I packed up and drove through the night. We pulled into our Michigan home at 7:00 AM. My kids had just had it and I needed a break! So I have plane tickets to fly back down and rock the garden room. It just needs a few more days of intensive love and it will be gorgeous. I'm so excited. Here's where it is at right now:

I was really pleased with how they all turned out! What a fun project. I kind of wish our church would do something this fun in our buildings. I want my kids to go to church and play in fun rooms like these. (I might get a hefty calling if I keep up that talk huh??)
So, thanks to everyone especially Leah and Joe for making this awesome opportunity happen and to my husband for his support and to all the sitters and friends who opened their arms to me and my kids.
XO!

A T-REX for MAX

2008-08-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Family of Five

2008-08-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

These 5 paintings are for the 5 children in one of my favorite families. They live in Oregon and I am delivering them when we drive there this week. I hope they like them!

This addition is premature since the name is not yet painted. It will be in a beautiful simple script across the bottom.

I can easily do the same paintings again featuring YOUR childs' name. :)

Bella

2008-06-24T14:09:00.001-07:00

This was a commission piece for a sweatie girl named Bella. Her mom wanted me to use this beautiful quilt that she made as inspiration. I think it turned out really cute. I love how the design wraps all the way around the board. I learned from this piece that even though the design looks like it might be simple to paint.... it's not. :)

Joren's Tabby Quilt

2008-06-12T20:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Erin agreed to a project night to make tabby quilts which gave me kick in the but to get this cute tabby quilt made for my son. He's at just the right age to really love it. He's already slobbered it to death. I'm so glad he likes it as much as I hoped. The textures on this one are so fun. He loves the green and yellow plastic netting. (These are vegetable bags that I got from the grocery store). The fun red circle tabs are inspired by my good friend Charyce. I think they are just the thing this monkey needed. The piece on the back is a scrap I have had for years and years. I'm so glad it finally found a great purpose.

This blanket was a shower gift for a cute friend of mine who adopted a darling little boy named Cooper (of course). You turn the colored part of the blanket under, lay the baby down and swaddle him so that when you pick him up it says his name across his back. Yes, this was my very own idea. I'm pretty proud of it. :) If you use it you have to send me a buck. JK

I've discovered

Welcome Rhoda!!

2008-03-21T08:18:00.001-07:00

The Owl and the Moth

2008-02-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since I have painted a noncommission. November I think.. It's about time that I get going again. I finally got the bug and my husband gave me a whole afternoon free of children... plus two naptimes and a late night.. and I got to paint an owl. I'm still thinking about adding some highlights to the owl, but not sure. What do you think? I've been thinking about doing a spring bird series and I think this is the start... I'll do a birdsnest next... Already started.

I'd love your thoughts on this weird eclectic piece.

A Hippo for Owen!

2008-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

NOAH!

2008-01-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

A Few New Name paintings...

2008-01-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

These were for a couple of darling sisters.

Kids Name Paintings!

2007-10-15T13:43:00.001-07:00

I made an advertisement for my kids name paintings. I am selling these for $65
A great Christmas gift!

Prints Available!!

2007-10-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have ordered prints of my most popular paintings.
I have them in stock and can ship them quickly. - Just in time for Christmas! If you don't see a print of your favorite painting below, let me know and I can order it for you. Almost all custom sizes are available.

Autumn Shadows 14" x 14"	$30.00
Doy 14" x 14"	$30.00
Family Heartland 89 14" x 14"	$30.00
Rusted Indian Paintbrush 14" x 14"	$30.00
Green Patch 14" x 14"	$30.00
Poppy Garden 14" x 14"	$30.00
Red Garden Path 14" x 14"	$30.00
Red Lily 14" x 14"	$30.00
Tuscan Twilight 16 x 18	$35.00
Marshland at Twilight 12" x 26"	$40.00
Patchwork Heartland 24" x 24"	$60.00

A couple new additions....

2007-10-15T11:52:00.003-07:00

The Red Barn Festival has come and gone! What a great time it was! I wrote all about it on my other blog if you are interested in hearing more visit: www.aanderud.blogspot.com

I saved a few paintings to post pictures of until after the Red Barn festival because I wanted to have a few that my friends hadn't already seen!

I've also gone back through all my former posts and listed prices on paintings that weren't priced.

Around the Shed at Sunset

11 x 14

$300.00

Circus Riot

12 x 12

sold

Grazing in Majesty

5 x 7

sold

Hummingbird Hollow

14 x 14

$300.00

Lone Blue

14 x 14

$125.00

Poppy Garden

2007-09-22T05:06:00.001-07:00

Poppy Garden

14" x 14"

$300.00

Red Garden Path

2007-09-21T05:52:00.001-07:00

Red Garden Path

14" x 14"

$150.00

Julianna, thanks for the inspiration. I love to have requests!
I don't know if it's what you had in mind, but I love the red background.

Green Patch 14" x 14"

2007-09-18T16:34:00.001-07:00

Green Patch

14" x 14"

$300.00

This was really fun to do. I was inspired for this one by prints that I saw in World Market by a New York artists named Kim Parker. It only looks a little like her work, and definitely has my style worked in, but I have to give her credit. She does great work.

Boyhood Treasure Box

2007-09-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

So I should be making art to sell at the festival, but I was so excited to finish this piece for Paul for our anniversary, I got distracted. This is a press box filled with all of these fun treasures that we found in a cool old box that Paul had saved from when he was a kid. We discovered it deep in our shed when we were moving, and I knew immediately that this little collection needed a cool home, and I knew just where I was going to put it. I had fun scrounging up old pictures of Paul and thinking of things that symbolized his childhood. I'm still not sure if he's really glad to have it or not. It's sort of revealing, and sort of a strange gift, but I thought it was a cool way to celebrate him and his life.
I do know one thing. Eirik LOVES all these little treasures and cries when I don't let him pull them off. I think it's a cool way for Paul's boys to connect with him and to see what he was like when he was a child. I hope it becomes sort of a family treasure box. That's how I see it.

2007-09-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

Rusted Indian Paint brush

14" x 14"

$150.00

It's funny how some paintings read so differently according to your proximity from the painting. I liked this one as I finished it, but when I stepped back about 15 feet from it, I loved it. It reads a lot better from farther away. (I can't show that very well on the computer.) So you'll just have to see it in person.

Tuscan Twilight

2007-08-25T05:20:00.000-07:00

I am so happy with this latest piece. I've been trying to figure out how to capture this style for a long time and I think I finally am on to it. Please tell me what you think.

Tuscan Twilight

11 x 14

$350.00

Two whole paintings in a day! Wahoo!

2007-08-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

It was Wednesday morning on my day to paint, and time was ticking away. In front of me sat the painting I had pushed, in my eyes to it's near perfection the day before. It sat staring at me looming, daring me to disembowel it with a simple stroke of my brush. It's a familiar battle, my will versus the will of the nearly complete, imperfect yet so close painting, and my brushes seemed frozen, paralyzed with fear. "It's just the details I have to do," I tell myself, steady forward, and yet those all important finishing details make or break it every time. I stare, for 1/2 hour. I stare at the canvas; scheming, plotting, planning and ddeliberately seeing the outcome before the painting starts. In the end, who will win? The immobilizing fear emmanating from the inanimate board somehow so full of power, or my will to press forward knowing this attempt may fail, this precious painting day maybe a waste. With all my effort I force myself to pick up the brush and begin the execution. Why is it called that? Execution.. I'll let you judge for yourself whether or not this one died in the details. It's always my biggest shortcoming.

Marshland at Twilight

20 x 44

sold- prints available

This second painting came together so easily. I needed something easier after the struggle of the Marshland at Twilight. It was a doozy.

Red Lily

14" x 14"

$150.00

Thanks Paul for taking Eirik to the Fair so I could have a whole day to paint! Two whole paintings finished in a day!! Great!

Prairie Grasses

2007-08-21T05:32:00.000-07:00

I'd love to get some feedback on this one. It went through a lot of different MAJOR changes last night but I think I'm finally happy with it. What do you guys think? Constructive criticism always accepted.

Prairie Grasses

14 x 14

$125.00

Rhino Rear

2007-08-21T05:27:00.000-07:00

Paul thinks this painting is just ridiculous. I think it's funny.
It's all about "R"
It contains a Rhino Rear or Rump
A Red Rectangle
Rocks
and Rising Rays of the Sun

If anyone can thing of other easy R things I can add, please let me know....

Rhino Rear

12 x 12

sold

New paintings!

2007-08-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

I know it's been ages since I've had anything to add!!!
But good news, the painting spirit is revived and I am on a roll. I decided to bring work down for the Red Barn festival in Kirksville in October. So I have 9 weeks to put together a show that works together. What fun!

These are my first two paintings of from Michigan.

The first one is a commission ( a bit overdue I must say... sorry Amy. I hope you like it!) and the second one is because my last Autumn painting was the first to sell at the festival last year and I have missed it ever since, so here's a second edition... similar, but quite different.

Almost Autumn

14 x 14

sold

Hollyhocks

2007-05-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

My friend Eugena commissioned this piece and is using it at her outdoor cafe as a table top. Hollyhocks used to inspire my mom to want to paint since she had a painting of hollyhocks hanging in her art classroom high school. So, it's sentimental sort of to get to paint them. Thanks Mom for helping me love to paint.

New Stuff

2007-04-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

These top two pieces are commissions. The panel is 6' long. I wish I could see it hung in her house.
She asked for her baby name painting to be after the nursery rhyme "Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails". I had so much fun with the snail that I thought I would make a snail tabby quilt. Good times.

2007-03-27T23:36:00.000-07:00

So this is a front and a back of my newest tabby quilts. These make excellent baby shower gifts! They are about 15" x 15" including tabs, perfect for car seats and carrying around the house. Kids love these because of all the textures. The front helps kids learn numbers, and the back is soft fleece with a star.

They are double stitched and the star makes a crinkle sound when squished. I make them androgynous, but this one might be a bit more boyish. I'm letting them go for a mere $18 plus shipping. Email me if your interested.

2007-03-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

In the last few days I have decided to admit that I have an addiction to blogs. I have become a complete junkie. I found a circle of creative muses that have inspired me speachless. So thank you all.. now I have to ignore my dishes even more! Hook me up to an IV so that I can get this blog greased.

2006-07-26T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Melody and I love to paint.

Yes, I know how eccentric and weird this photo makes me look, but frankly, I don't care. This is my blog and I can be as weird as I want to be. This was taken the day I quit my corporate job and started painting full time.
I still feel like a beginner when it comes to painting, but I have been trying to focus my attention on developing my skills wholeheartedly for almost a year now and I'm starting to see some of my work paying off. I have a ways to go in developing a style that is truly my own. Right now I am working on a pretty wide range of artistic expression from landscapes to abstracts to collages to furniture pieces. I'm kind of all over the place, but I know what I like and I like to work on it all.

so I hope you enjoy the show:

Oh, and if you're wondering,- No I don't paint in a red room anymore- that didn't really work at all.