From the Annals of the Obscured Box...

There are those (who shall remain nameless) who have suggested that the obscured box technique--or rather, those paintings rendered through its good auspices--is inferior to what one might call the stick-the-stick-in-the-paint-and-start-flailing technique--or rather, those paintings rendered through its good auspices.

To this I say faaaaa. Or raspberries. Or any other reasonably polite expletive. You choose.

And don't get me wrong. the STSITPASF technique remains one of the primary weapons in my armamentarium. But I have to say that some of my favorite paintings (Old Bobby Lee jumps to mind. Likewise, Big Rupert) are obscured box paintings. One might suggest that when the OBT works (which, let's admit, it just plain doesn't sometimes), it really works.

I hereby submit Exhibit A for the defense:



Titled interchangeably: "Big Gertie" or "Portrait of Portrait of Gertrude Stein," I believe it is a strong one. Particularly if you are a hockey fan, as there are more than a couple of boxes that bring people like Mike Richter or that French-Canadian guy--what's his name? Not Guy LaFleur. Somebody else. Martin Brodeur! That bring guys like Mike Richter and Martin Brodeur to mind.

But really--fuck hockey; we're here to talk painting. And on that note, to the naysayers, I say Faaaaaa!

To those who are with me, I say let's have a Guinness float!