A month ago, I taught Karen to paint the underside of our saloon table. Since then, Karen has painted our galley, decorated our keels, designed and varnished an artist’s palette, and dabbled with watercolors.
Yet, she’s not always enjoying her work.
The Hardest Part
Who wants to …
- paint a keel on a tarmac in extreme heat and humidity?
- risk leaving a painting half-finished under the boat?
- face scrutiny from casual observers?
The answer to these questions is: no one.
Yet, Karen is making this work.
Classical Scrollwork on a Modern Catamaran
… and Whale Sharks (Both Outboard Sides)
Karen added small differences to each side to keep things interesting. I would have thought that the heat or the scale of the job would have been hard. Her answer surprised me.
It wasn’t the heat.
It wasn’t applying 1,250 spots to each whale shark.
“It was the brushes and the paint.”
Karen
Karen times her work to meet the shade. Sometimes she works after sunset. The paint dries instantly.
An Awkward Realization
I bought paintbrushes as a set. When the finest brushes ran out, I suggested she trim the larger ones to suit her purpose.
I thought this suggestion was resourceful. We don’t have a vehicle, and the closest store is a 15-minute taxi drive away.
What I didn’t understand was that the DIY brushes lacked stability. Her paint brushes have been skating around like eyelashes. Karen painted for several days with these brushes.
“Karen, why didn’t you say anything about the brushes?”
She replied, “I did. Every single time I came up after painting. I told you that my brushes were not good. And, you didn’t listen.”
Accolades
I like the contrast of the classical pattern on a modern catamaran. It feels like a nod to the origins of sailing. Our painting contractor took a photo to show his wife. I’ve seen cars stop and talk to Karen. A local remarked that Karen’s work was Malay because she had incorporated images of nature.
One contractor remarked that “It’s great but no one will see it.” Karen thought this was funny. People say awkward things sometimes.
Karen keeps up her spirits listening to a ‘vintage’ playlist on repeat. She enjoys Blondie’s “Call Me” and Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.”
Other Recent Projects
Here’s the palette that Karen designed and is now varnishing.
Canadian readers will recognize the figure in this painting. Here’s the watercolor she made that inspired the making of the palette in the first place.
Years ago, Karen painted a woman’s face on the keels. A New Zealand immigration officer was gobsmacked.
“How?”
Karen’s mind’s eye is pure mystery.
Karen now owns proper paintbrushes.
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Becoming a Sailor 