Here is a work-in-progress shot of a new coffee cup oil painting on canvas based on two of The Original Pantry Mugs. I started this painting about two months ago, quickly only working on it for at most 3 hours. I tried to keep my brushes and marks large, working with a limited color palette of greys, at first and then introducing the warmer colors of the reflected light. I did not start with an initial drawing. A reference was from a photo that I had displayed on my phone. I also put the phone 10 feet away forcing myself to only look at the bigger shapes. I started scribbling in the words the Original Pantry, trying to abstract the text, I might go into the lettering more, I am still debating. I am really enjoying the process
I have fond childhood memories of the Pantry eating ham and cheese omelets at the counter with my Dad. We would sit up at the counter by the grill and get our order taken by a large old man. He was probably the same age as I am now. He had a brown mustache, big jowls for cheeks, a perfect black bow tie, that may have been a clip-on, a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the Pantry apron folded in half right under his gut, and the best biggest huge smile. Every Sunday. He would memorize our order, always getting it right. With one hand he laid out the napkins and silverware and the other two of these mugs and coffee poured in only hesitating with a quick question, “Would you like coffee?” but with his eyes only. The fresh coffee pot would hover over the cups just waiting to be released. As soon as the “yes please” was heard they would be filled to the brim pouring a good foot above the cups without a drop being spilled. On the rare occasion that it did, a bar towel would be cleaning it up before any complaints could be heard. On to the next magically task of making the complimentary dish of coleslaw appear in front of us and relaying our orders to the cooks in between breaths. What seemed to be half a loaf of sourdough bread cut 3 inches thick would be placed to the side of me. Buttered, perfectly toasted, crisp until you bite in, and then so soft and spongey. So many good memories throughout the years, and I look forward to more.
