The Nail Polish Art Project

Several years ago I painted (actually I poured/drizzled) a picture on paper with yard sale nail polish, but nobody could see that it was a face so that idea went out the door. 

Then about two years ago I got the "bright idea" that I would create a canvas painting and again use nail polish as the medium in a different manner. I even envisioned how I would apply the colors to make the creation. I had asked several friends if they had any unused, or half used bottles that they would be willing to give to me. Now, I don't now use nail polish and can't remember if I ever did, except for the clear which stopped runs in our stockings in the 50's. Heck, I don't even have shapely nails. At all! I knew that two friends have manicures and pedicures regularly. Another friend has teen granddaughters who are constantly experimenting with colors and then, after one use, never open the bottles again. 

And so, my request was fulfilled, more than adequately. The friends who visit their salons asked there and the owners and managers gave them outdated, unpopular and half used colors. A friend's aunt was an Avon Lady and she had a large stockpile of unused and unsold bottles. The lady with the granddaughters' unwanted polishes gathered them in a mesh bag for me and brought them with her from Tennessee to her beach place in the SC campground where we go. One brought some from West Virginia and another saved MANY for me from NJ and then met my daughter who was visiting my other daughter in the area. She then brought them back to PA with her for me. 

I had a fine time testing each lid, (top?) making sure I could open it and then put them all away in red plastic Huggie boxes that I had previously saved.  My plan was to start with a practice trial on a piece of paper. One sheet and I quit. I couldn't take the fumes! Of course I did this in the wintertime in the cabin and without any ventilation. Not good. I then planned to try again in the coming summer. That didn't pan out either because I fractured my humerus head and rotator cuff muscles and tendons due to a stub-your-toe fall in May. I now have a permanent "range of motion" disability. The recovery period took over a year. By then it was winter again. 

This year was going to be the year of the painting! Nope! I developed a viral infection of the cornea , AKA dendritic keratitis, in my "good" eye. There went my painting-using-nail polish project for another year. 

I WILL, someday, paint with nail polish. I WILL. My idea is to use as many as necessary to cover the canvas in little dots, all touching each other, and then overpainting with more dabs and dots, making a scene with a large naked tree as the feature. I plan to only use the brushes that come in the bottles. It will take time. You'll see.........someday. Look out Van Gogh!

By the way there is an art method called Pointillism which is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of pure color are applied in patterns to form an image. I've never done this. and mine will be similar but different. I really don't know where I'll be going but I'll know when I get there and it is finished. I haven't ever had art or design training and whatever I do will be the trial and error method. It's my way.