Glasses Open

Acrylic on 6x12 canvas panel

Available through DPW gallery/auction

This is another 6x12 format - and another piece I will say is part of my "Slice of Life" series. After all, glasses are indeed a part of life.

"Glasses Open" - not a very original name, I know. I thought of "Better to See You" but thought it a bit too corny. And since this is 1 of a pair of glasses paintings, I thought it best to name them for what they are.  (Tomorrow's painting is Glasses Closed, did you guess it?). 

I have worn glasses almost all of my life - I got my first pair in Kindergarten when they realized I could not see the board. The other children proceeded to call me "4 eyes" and so I "lost" that lovely pink pair one day walking home from school. My dutiful parents bought me a second pair, which I "lost" as well. They said they couldn't afford to keep buying me glasses if I was going to keep losing them - I simply shrugged my shoulders. So, they stopped buying them.

Fortunately I could see well enough to not walk into things or fall down the stairs. But some things, like the blackboard in school, was impossible to see. I was short but always sat in the back of the classroom because they would alphabetize us by last names. Mine started with the letter "U" so I was always in the back - but I told the teachers that I couldn't see because I was so short. They would then move me to the front where I could see well enough to understand things on the board. I also learned to listen in class very well. I always knew what was going to be on a test - the teacher spoke with more enthusiasm on the things that would be on the test - so I learned to listen to their tone & read their mannerisms. And lastly, I learned a trick for when we had to take our yearly eye exam -- the old style where you either (a) told them what direction the capital letter "E" was facing  or (B) read the letters in each row as they got smaller. I would simply memorize the chart while I stood in line closest to the chart. Then when I had to sit in the chair which was further away from the chart, I would rattle off the correct answers with ease. No, I couldn't see the chart clearly from the chair - but I had all the right answers!

And NO ONE ever called me "4 eyes" again! 

I didn't officially get glasses again until I was driving age, and those I thought might be a good idea to wear. Something about being able to see large moving objects! LOL!