Mignardises Freehand, 9" x 11" 
An artist and her paintbrushes are like past lovers. Some come and go so fast.
You can't remember what you ever saw in them.
Why is it in every new town, you go looking for a new one for amusement.
And why is it, old Frenchies (Isabey Petit Gris #6234) you were once so crazy about, are now stashed away in mothballs?
Your current French loves (Isabey Martre #6225) you discovered by chance in Paris and no where else, have suddenly become awfully pricy to keep around - they used to be so affordable...sigh Just like naughty gigolos.
An old favorite standby (these German DaVinci 'Junior synthetic') have stuck with me through thick and thin and are so affordable.
I still love YOU Babe!
I recently ran into an old boyfriend (a live one) and he flipped for these watercolors drawn with a paintbrush.
Naturalement I dragged out some old favorites and started messing with them.
Paintbrushes waiting on the back burner like forever are hoping to get a second chance with moi. Qui sait?
Actually the newest, hottest love of my life is Winsor and Newton LARGE size watercolor pans - I am so in love with you BABE - I bought a bunch over the 4th holiday at Dick Blick. I can not wait till you arrive darlings!
I recently ran into an old boyfriend (a live one) and he flipped for these watercolors drawn with a paintbrush.
Naturalement I dragged out some old favorites and started messing with them.
Paintbrushes waiting on the back burner like forever are hoping to get a second chance with moi. Qui sait? 
Actually the newest, hottest love of my life is Winsor and Newton LARGE size watercolor pans - I am so in love with you BABE - I bought a bunch over the 4th holiday at Dick Blick. I can not wait till you arrive darlings!
Are YOU madly in love with something and do you think if will last or just be a One Nite Stand?
Do tell all PBers!
Hahahahaha
ReplyDeleteToo funny and too true!
I love your old chewed off paintbrushes..
Man you do have A LOT of paintbrushes!!
Were you crazy, mad for each and every one of those brushes?
WHEW!
Who could keep up?
bon chance!
I am having a quiet love affair with French fashion...
ReplyDeleteNot so available here in OZ.
Suzi
I was so excited to see your sketches on a poster for Maison Blanc in London the other day. i recognized your beautiful work right away. (Now why is it Maison Blanc and not Maison Blanche, I wonder?)
ReplyDeleteGreat job--they were lucky to have you as their illustrator!
I must admit that I don't do that with paintbrushes, but I definitely do with hairbrushes or shoes or winter jackets....
ReplyDeletewindeater.blogspot.com
well....I still get flustered when I hold my wire wrapped Italian brushes! I also love the journey it took to find the brushes in some small random shop! Yeah, it is certainly like a love affair!
ReplyDeleteSo funny but, as I'm looking at my collection of brushes, so true! My current love is daVinci Cosmotop Spin. For a long time, it was my freebie brush from Cheap Joe's. Alas, we lost the point in that relationship.
ReplyDeleteThisis the all-time best simile!!!! In retrospect, I have been extremely faithful. Definitely a monogamist. Or serial monogamist. I started with a motley collection from Michaels. Then a Teacher who had retired from Hallmark convinced me that the world's best brush is the supremely pricy Scharf male Kolinsky sable (or some such sable) . I bought 2 sizes. After a year or two I bought Connoisseur synthetic that was on sale at my local art store. I've been surprisingly content.
ReplyDeleteNo Longer!!!! I feel a deep lust for new brushes!! Off to the internet I go!
Well this post assaulted my virgin eyes! If you don't believe me, just ask my wife. Being constantly broke, I've got cheap brushes that I just looked at and saw are made in China. No wonder my paintings have such a cheap look about them! Oh well. I'm using liquid acrylic and creating multi-media paintings, and by the time I get done, it doesn't matter what kind of brush I use anyway. They are fun to make, though.
ReplyDeleteWhoops I had to go look up 'simile' to be sure you didn't mean SMILE Jeannette!
ReplyDeleteAs I was foraging through all these endless brushes this morning it came to be like a flash.
Ah to be true to just one brush..
That would be some kind of miracle.
Then of course you know it will become unavailabe or go out of stock, so it's better to be fickle and play the field IMHO.
:)
I like these paintbrush watercolors, too!
ReplyDeleteWill you be going to the FIAF Bastille Day celebration on Sunday?
This is so cute Carol...I always talk about perfume as if they were more than just scents....whether I can be faithful to them and whether they will last the test of time.......Your one night stands are all adorable...and so many, you cheeky girl! xv
ReplyDeleteI much enjoyed reading about your various affairs, fascinating indeed!
ReplyDeleteMy everlasting love is the humble pencil # 2 - I have flirted with the Faber Castell brand, but I mostly am loyal to the common yellow 2HB. I still have a few from Staples in my drawer. My notebooks are filled with pencil scribbles, as is my address book. Marginalia in my books are penciled in as well (I crinch when I see your color marked book!). ;-)
This is absolutely RACY, Carol! Who knew you had such a checkered past?
ReplyDeleteIs it hot in NYC, Carol?
ReplyDeleteWhat got you on to this(very funny) train of thought?
(I think that all of my ex's are still alive, at least physically...:)
Oh la la! Who would have thought. And you wrap your exes in mothballs?! Eeeek.
ReplyDeleteOMG! Am I in luck
ReplyDeleteI ran out of liquid mask and went to my local art store and found the Davinci brushes
SOOO inexpensive I bought 3 and tried 1 out today-
Works great!
Merci beaucoup!
Carol, I think that your post has struck deeply within the soul and materials world of many readers.
ReplyDeleteI do treasure many of my watercolor brushes, for their particular characteristis. Isabey is a brand I have definitely befriended.
Pencils, via Merisi's comment. I could go on and on and on.
I thank you so much for your comment over at my place, and do hope to try to capture that posy in the tea cup in another medium.
Searching for time, think I am finding some. xo
Great blog! So true! I am still using WN watercolor brushes from 1973!! They are long time lovers!
ReplyDeleteBravo Carol!
I love this funny post - you are one of the brightest sparks in the blogosphere! (And I'm also flipping for those Venetian watercolours, btw!)
ReplyDeleteOMG Rick!
ReplyDeleteA WN watercolor brushes from 1973!!
Rarer than hen's teeth.
You could auction that at Christies and walk away a happy man I bet.
Nothing like the old Winsor & Newton sable brushes around these days. Now they were worth hanging on to...sign
Yes Frances, Isabey is a lovely brand for brushes bien sur. The French can other things well besides pastry...
Nikon - it is VERY hot in New York and the brain turns to mush and remembrances of things/dates past...
This is Daniel and I will like to order Parisian Gazebo.
ReplyDeleteDo get back to me with the types and cost for the ones you do carry and let me know.
I practically border on OCD for some things - notebooks used for journals must be just so. I love pens and am very particular about them. Pilot V7 in black - or the great new ink-dropper filled fountain pen from Noodlers Ink (on Amazon, natch), and mechanical pencils for writing but again, must be just so.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! Loved your analogy to past loves...so very true! And those drawings with the brush are amazing. Just love it all!
ReplyDeleteHi Carol. I love your paintings. It is always a pleasure to look at them. Yumm. How long will you be in Maine? I am sorry I will miss you this time. You should have fabulous weather. All the best! - Erica
ReplyDeleteAlways am inspired by your posts. I have a love affair with my creative tools too. Right now it's photo apps for my iPhone.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see your delightful painting of Mignardises. That's the name of my blog! Isn't it one of the sweetest French words?
ReplyDeletehttp://mignardise.blogspot.com
Love it - bumped into a LIVE one ;-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful colourful array of brushes, Carol. Gosh, your post is making me blush and realise that question is a biggie but think it's there to stay. Have to think...
Love the brushes! Recently I came across a stash of old brushes and dip style ink pens and wondered what I could do with them -- I am definitely not an artist like you are -- BTW I love your watercolors. Anyway, I have decided that there must be more people like you who have love affairs with pens and brushes. They are now displayed in our shop for all to love. Thanks.
ReplyDelete