Back Yard

12 x 9 inches, oil paint on wood panel                                                  Copyright 2009, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved

It really doesn't matter where one paints.  I stepped out into my own back yard and did a study of the southeast corner of my house. There is something about a house, or other large object peaking over the top of a barrier, usually a hedge, that I have sympathy for. It was while painting this that I was attacked by a swarm of Yellow Jackets.  Yellow Jackets are small wasps that nest in the ground and are sensitive to vibration.  They have the ability to sting more than once.  When one stings, it emits a pheromone that triggers the swarm to attack.  It is best to run as far away and as fast as one can when hit.  By the time I was a safe distance away I was stung 8 times.  However, what I discovered later was most interesting and curious.  I could not retrieve my paints for an hour or so.  A swarm of hundreds of Yellow Jackets were attacking my painting rig.  After I safely collected my paints, near dusk. I noticed that my turpentine jar was full of the wasps.  I counted well over 200 of them, drowned.  I wonder if turpentine is similar to their pheromones, thereby triggering the attack and causing hundreds of them to drown themselves.  Or did it confuse them causing them to dive bomb into my brush-cleaning solution?

Comments

[Mary Ashley Stephenson]

This painting reminds me of Fairfield Porter whose work I also love. Did you use an orange under-painting in this one - the bits of color showing through are really nice - an added dimension.