Watching Paint Dry ...

... is really a lot more fun than people say it is. I wanted to share some pics of our pre-build preparations. Rarely do I get the chance to work on any project without help from my kids, and this was no exception. A giant piece of canvas surrounded by cans of paint proved way more interesting than the brand new pack of sidewalk chalk I opened for the occasion. Thankfully Larry is accustomed to working with large crews. Chloe and Avery helped prime, and  Morgan assisted with the large areas of color in the water and hills. Eventually we managed to steal the brushes back.

It was an interesting experience painting with another person on the same canvas. I've been privileged to be a part of many of Larry's projects over the last few years, but working in painted latex is completely different from twisting its inflated cousin. We had to be much more conscious about blending styles (and wet edges!) before it dried, and there was the added pressure of keeping the backdrop relatively faithful to the original to fit with the rest of Larry's Master Works series. It gave me new appreciation for the innate abstraction that occurs when working with balloons -- something that I normally wrestle with.

I'd say one of Larry's greatest gifts is the way he takes advantage of this abstraction. He can capture the essence of a subject, give it a light-hearted twist, and all the while  maintain the spirit of the original. (Have you seen Whistle-air's Mother and his latest, the Mona Lisa?) It blows my mind... I can't wait to see how Venus & her entourage take shape next week in Grand Rapids!

- Kel

PS. Are you following Larry on Twitter or Facebook yet? You should be! It's the best way to get the latest progress/project updates.