About

Himself

[start recording]

Q: What do you see?

A: I dunno. Looks like a blurry tree.

Q: Is that all? Does it remind you of anything? Bring anything to mind? It’s OK, anything…

A: Well, it’s…

Q: …yes?

A: …I was going to say it looks like a picture I have hanging in my kitchen. Next to the stove, right by the door.

Q: Hm. Go on.

A: It looks like the photographer took the picture out of focus, either intentionally or by accident. Then he played with the colors and applied some sort of filters in Photoshop. Ended up with a photo that looks a lot like a painting. Don’t know if it’s mimicking oil or acrylic or watercolor, I never painted.

Q: Good. Anything else?

A: Not really. Like I say, I never painted. Did I miss something? Is it a famous work?

Q: Goodness, no, it’s not famous. I doubt you’ve ever seen it before, honestly. Have another look, why don’t you. You said you have a picture like it hanging in your house. What drew you to it? Why that picture?

A: This picture, or the one in my kitchen?

Q: [chuckles] I think you’re being a trifle obstinate? Please.

A: I like the blurriness, I think. And the way the green grass looks in the sun, on the hill. Really nice, reminds me of some Impressionist guy?

Q: OK. Maybe Manet, though I could be wrong. Yes?

A: I always wanted to paint, you know? I tried once or twice, but it’s such a messy affair. All the paints all over the place, and just as you’re getting started, just getting into it, it’s time to clean everything up and clean the brushes. I never had much room to fool around with. Couldn’t just leave everything out in the garage and come back to it later.

Q: So looking at this makes you feel like you used to, those times you did manage to paint?

A: No, not really. I think I’m being a little obstinate again, like you’d say. Hmm.

Q: …

A: I see that and I think, you know, maybe I could do that. I have a computer, no muss no fuss.

Q: You mean no brushes to clean and…

A: Right, yeah. Maybe I can do that, make something that looks nice enough to put on the wall. [Coughs] How cool would that be? Me, making something that somebody would want to put in a frame and stick over the fireplace? That’s a rush.

Q: You mentioned blurriness before.

A: Um. Well. The artist or photographer or whatever he calls himself is in charge of everything that happens inside the frame. Color, light, sharpness, blurriness, the whole thing. And this guy chose to go with a blurry dark tree on a blue sky. He saw that and thought, that’s how I feel right now. Whether he was aware of all the thoughts and feelings in his head, only he knows that. Me? I sorta think there’s a big blurry tree that he was getting around, to get to the blue sky and green grass on the other side.

Q: And then?

A: And then I guess he’ll take a picture of the next thing. And so on.

Q: I think we’re out of time.

[end recording]