2022.09.14 Painting and Sh*t

2022.09.14 Painting and Sh*t
Art isn't all flowers and pretty ladies. Art is passion, and let's face it --- sometimes passion gets messy. Those present are encouraged to be inspired by the rebels of art, and make something messy. Amos won the prize, despite his best efforts.
IC Date	2022.09.14
Players	Madeline, Amos, Heathen, Mikael, Elkie
Spheres	Vampire Ghoul

Easels have been arranged in the middle of the dance floor. A table is set nearby with a variety of canvasses, paints from acrylic to oil, brushes, smocks, palettes, and... paint guns. Everything you could need to express yourself in a painting. A card on the table indicates that the paint night theme is, 'Rebellion'. There are various works of art displayed to inspire --- a few Banksy, and some Jackson Pollacks, prints procured directly from Walmart.

Elkie Darling, the Keeper, is examining a paint gun, while waiting for people to arrive.

Heathen does arrive, a big purple smock thrown over his shoulder, dressed a little down into basic t-shirt, jeans, and cheap sneaks. "Good evening. How's the artistic inspiration coming?"

Mikael is on Heathen's heels, a bright smile on his face. He is wearing more casual wear this evening, and his long hair is pulled back in a braid down his back. He gives a bow to Elkie, "Bonsoir, Mademoiselle Keeper. Merci for having us here this eve."

Elkie watches Mikael bow with a mildly disturbed expression. She replies to Heathen then, showcasing her paint gun. "It is locked and loaded, I'd say. Ready to get out of its shell and do some emotional damage."

For those just entering, Elkie is standing by the arts supply table.

Heathen ties his apron on. It actually seems like it might be more expensive than his off the rack Walmart finest. "Emotional damage is my specialty." and checks out the table as others arrive

Madeline arrives with a smile, nodding to those present "BonSoir good keeper, friends"

Mikael arches a brow almost playfully as he hears Heathen, "A heartbreaker, mon ami?" He turns as he hears Madeline's voice and smiles brightly at her, "Bonsoir! We were hoping to see you this eve."

Amos looks around and nods to the others, heading over to pick up a medium sized canvas and some paint to get started with. "We were?"

Elkie eyes Amos, offering a slight smile. "We are happy to welcome all Kindred here, in Elysium. It's in the mission statement. As such."

Art on display:

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5497331ae4b0148a6141bd47/1594500015237-PT431GEUZ1ZQ61ANE0E7/7bdbc75725194a9a44d66846fc37962e.jpg?format=2500w

https://images.saatchiart.com/saatchi/837500/art/3554106/2623992-HSC00001-6.jpg

https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/612fdbacf0cc5e1d1b49f14e/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=1200

https://www.jackson-pollock.org/images/paintings/convergence.jpg

Madeline laughs warmly and smiles at Amos "weren't you?" she jests and steps over to kiss Heathen's cheek then Mikael's before fetching an apron to cover her beautiful outfit

Heathen pauses at the second one, glances at the third one, back at the second one, "Did this chimo throw that orgy into a blender?"

"Some believe that this work, Convergence, by Pollock was the embodiment of free speech and freedom of expression. At the time." Elkie offers to Heathen.

Mikael looks to Amos, his smile widening as he hears Madeline, "Pardonne, Monsieur Primogen. I should have been more specific. But I am certain you agree that there is always a wait for a beautiful Mademoiselle, oui?"

Elkie ignores the conversation between Mikael and Amos, adding to her reply, "On the other hand, it is said that the CIA appreciated Pollock's work because it was too messed up to convey a coherent political message."

Heathen looks Convergence over, tries to see it, and shrugs. "Looks like he started to paint something, got pissed, and tried to beat the canvas into submission with wet brushes."

"It is a challenge to come up with an interpretation other than 'blowing off steam'," Amos muses. He's started in on the outline of a traditional portrait of some sort, one ear and the outline of some hair taking shape thus far.

"Sort of." Elkie agrees with Amos and Heathen. "If I remember correctly, he started off trying to create a work entirely in black and white, but he hated it, and decided to start adding colour." She glances to Amos. "Ever had that feeling when you make a mistake... every effort you make trying to fix it is 'the last stroke'... for about 1000 strokes."

Meanwhile, Elkie takes a large rectangular canvas and balances it across two easels, sticking close to the group.

Heathen does get started on his own, using a pencil to start the sketch. "Dammit. Now I feel all insightful and shit."

Madeline looks at what others are doing and moves to get a small canvas for herself

"Don't fight it, Heathen." Elkie takes aim at the canvas and fires. She is close enough that the paintball explodes violently, not only creating a large orange splotch on the canvas, but also dotting the bridge of her nose, chin, and the front of her clothes.

Mikael gives a slight roll of his eyes towards Heathen before he steps up to a canvas and starts to put on an apron.

Amos shrugs. "Actually-- not sure about that one in particular, but if I remember correctly, at least some of his work is essentially Taoist in nature. Literally 'don't fight it'-- just set something in motion,and let physics and chaos theory do whatever. Now at a higher level, it certainly seems to rebel against long-standing ideas of what a painting 'should' look like, but you could say the same of Mondrian and no one's getting /those/ two confused."

"I agree." Elkie nods to Amos. "That said, non-interventionism and the cultivation of chaos were quite rebellious in the 1950's. Conformity and better living through chemistry, etc." She grins,and uses her bare hands to smear some yellow acrylic into the paintball orange, manipulating the plastic casing gently to a desired shape.

Heathen begins to draw the outline of a partially open book. "Which one was Mondorian? Art tended to be something I'd study the night before a date, and forget right after."

Mikael blends lines of white and grays oil paint then dabs them on a canvas before starting to blend them for a background as he listens to the conversation.

Madeline considers the blank canvas and smiles, reaching for blue paint and some things to mix it with for different shades, the brush begins to leave sweeping strokes of blue across the white

Elkie picks up a can of white paint and pops the lid with her fingertip.

Amos's portrait is shaping up some more, most of the outline traced out but only a little of the interior filled in. "Piet Mondrian was the one with nothing but rectangles. There was a screensaver back in the day that reproduced the style."

Madeline smiles as she watches, dipping her brush into a different shade as she adds highlights to the waves she is creating

Heathen pauses a moment, looking at his book. "Well, now I feel derivative" even as he begins to fill in the background, vague shadows around his rectangular book. Though with his focus on it, it's almost as if his mouth is on autopilot while he concentrates on the canvas

Elkie eyes the canvas briefly, then lifts it and lays it gently on the floor. She pours the can of white paint on top.

Mikael dabs various greens and black on his palette, mixes them a bit then brushes them on the canvas with broad upwards strokes so the end result resembles grass or shrubs.

Amos glances over toward Heathen's work for a moment. "I don't think you'll be sued for copying one rectangle. It's not like you're copying three circles, one of which is a little larger than the others."

Madeline beams at Elkie waiting to see what she plans to do, finding a smaller fine tip brush and beginning to add a ship to her painting, cresting a wave

Elkie pops a can of purple paint and red paint and pours them simultaneously onto either side of the canvas. As she kneels before her soon to be finished work, she adds. "Being derivative, deriving your work so that it is unoriginal, bland, etc... is what happens when you allow yourself to be caged by the ideas and machinations of other people."

Elkie adds, "I should add that there will be a vote taken to determine who will win the delightful prize that I had flown in especially for the event tonight, from Amazon."

Heathen steps back from his drawing. A book in a shadowed room, with light glowing from its partially opened pages.

Madeline is adding delicate strokes to the ship, bringing it to life

Elkie produces a mop from somewhere under the supplies table. She uses it to mix the colours together, managing to make something completely offensive with no redeeming qualities at all. Like the Toreador curse compels them to fixate on an exquisite work of art, Elkie's work has the opposite effect, compelling the viewer to look away, and possibly shudder inwardly.

Mikael smears thick blobs of various pinks and mauves on his palette then adds in a spot of blue. He takes a palette knife and begins to create petals with the knife. After creating various groupings he uses a small brush to tap the stamen in the center.

And Amos's portrait is squarely in the middle: passable, but nothing that wouldn't seem out of place in a mass-market Thomas Kincaid work. The subject appears to be young, androgynous - the shoulder length hair helps in that regard - and looking off to one side, as if distracted.

Madeline adds some tiny details so the waves seem to be breaking over the bow, highlights on the sails then nods and steps back to look it over

Elkie lifts her abhorrent creation back onto two easels and paint dribbles down the wet canvas thickly, pooling at the bottom before starting to drip on the drop-cloth over the dance floor. While it dries, she takes the opportunity to spy a look at everyone else's paintings. "Hmm... ok." She walks around. "I wonder... is anyone interested in sharing how they feel that their work captures the essence of the theme?"

Heathen looks at the book, and his lack of mess on himself. "No, no. But it's hard for me to make a mess without the tattoo gun."

Madeline smiles and laughs "well.. I wouldn't want to swab the deck, all that water is terribly messy. salt water of course" she jests

"Part of me just wanted to fire a paint-gun in Elysium." Elkie adds, subdued. "But when you're the Keeper, it's not as rebellious."

Mikael glances to Elkie and then to his easel, "This is the first palette knife painting I have done. And it is oil as well. I usually try to create very realistic paintings."

Madeline steps over to look at the other works and smiles "well it is, but then it is your house Mademoiselle, you would have to clean it

Amos shakes his head. "Oh, it doesn't. Yet." With that, he sets the paint and brush aside-- and proceeds to tear the sheet neatly in half from top to bottom, setting the right side down at a slight angle.

Mikael adds with a soft chuckle, "That sounds as if I paint a lot and that is not the case. My talents lie in music."

Elkie looks curiously from the torn work to Amos, pausing briefly. "Ah... ok. Well, now is the time to register your vote for who will win the prize for best work of the evening." As the Elysium ghouls distribute papers and pens, she adds, "Vote with your heart."

Heathen takes the paper and pen and still says it out loud. "Well, the one most in keeping with the spirit of the evening.. is the Keeper."

Heathen has disconnected.

Madeline smiles and jots down her vote, delivering it to Elkie

Elkie takes a paper and pen, smearing them both with yellow paint as she writes down a name and puts it into her pocket.

Amos uses one thin-pointed brush to dab something onto the side of a wider one, then hands the latter to Elkie in turn.

Mikael glances around the room, then takes a slip of paper and writes something on it. He smiles to Elkie and offers it to her.

Elkie takes the papers, as they are provided, reading then pocketing them. She gestures to one of the Elysium ghouls, and the generic ghoul brings a book, unwrapped, with a big red bow on top. "The votes are in, and the winner is..." She smiles, and offers it to Amos. This is the book: https://www.amazon.ca/Exercises-Rebel-Artists-Performance-Pedagogy/dp/041554923X

Madeline applauds warmly "Bravo Primogen"

Mikael turns and finishes off a few brushes and twists of the knife to complete his work/ He turns back towards Amos and claps his hands together, "Congratulations, Monsieur Primogen."

Heathen applauds Amos "Congratulations."

Amos inclines his head, glancing over the book and setting it somewhere where paint won't likely be spilled onto it. "Thank you. Two questions--" He turns to face Elkie now. "What would it take to get these put on permanent display, and what would it take to get to paint you?"

Madeline pauses with a smile at Amos's inquiries, clearly approving with a nod before departing

Elkie is ready to answer the first question, but the second stops her for a moment. Her eyebrows rise, then relax. "Well, as Keeper, it is my pleasure to announce that they can all be displayed in the gallery until the next round of art is created. As for painting me." She gives Amos an amused look. "What is it worth to you? Hmm. Let's negotiate." She waves to everyone, as she begins to make her way out for the night. "Thanks everyone for participating, I look forward to seeing you all in Court."

Mikael glances between Elkie and Amos and smiles, "Merci for the eve." He heads for the door with Heathen.

In the wake of the event, the Elysium ghouls have already begun to clean up, taking everyone's works to be mounted for all to see.