Patch

"Patch" (acrylic on canvas, 24x24") June 2012

Why does it seem that selecting wallpaper is such a tedious process?  What does one hope to accomplish by covering a portion of wall that doesn't want to be covered?  What follows is a story of a patch in search of a wall.

I painted a pattern that looked like wallpaper.  It left me bored and uninspired.  After weeks of staring at this unattractive canvas, it was time to remove the wallpaper to create something else.  But once I began to paint the green border, the solid green suddenly looked like the wall behind the wallpaper...and gave purpose for the covering.  But why would this wall need wallpaper?  It looked just fine!  Who would have noticed, if not me, that the wall was in need of cracks?  The cracks were created, but the wallpaper needed reinforcing strips of tape to keep it in place and keep it from peeling.  Mission accomplished; wallpaper in place; wall covered.  Or so I thought!  So then....why did someone stick their fist through the wallpaper, creating the huge hole and subsequent, overriding cracks, making the use of wallpaper a total waste of time?!?!  -Erico