The Artist

Well hey, the boy said to the artist girl. I haven’t seen you around here in a while. I thought you might have lost it.

Lost what? she said. He really didn’t know what he meant by that so he changed the subject.

What are you painting, he asked.

A boat she said. In the age of contemporary art dripping with symbolism and clever visual sarcasm, he again didn’t know how to respond.

A boat, he repeated. You mean a ship.

No, I mean a boat. A small, broken normal wooden boat she said.

Oh you mean like an old, antique, boat floating in the weeds, he added. I get it, you are going for that whole classic appeal.

No, I don’t even think I am going to do the background. I just wanted to paint this boat that I remember seeing as a kid she said.

But that is so plain and boring, he said. What are you trying to express?

I’m not trying to say anything anymore, she said. I really just thought it might be fun to paint a boat. And this is the first painting I have ever imagined finishing she added. I just want to paint something small and ordinary because sometimes, I just don’t have a masterpiece in me.

A boat huh, he said. Sounds like you’ve lost your passion.

Yeah, I think I have, she said. But I gained a life. Something has changed in me…art is a way I worship, it is not what I worship now, she said. And when I figured that out, my paintings got smaller, and I didn’t need to always remind people that I am an artist. I haven’t painted much lately, but this morning I decided to come back here. Cause I knew I could finally be used to express what I have seen…and sometimes, I just see a boat.

It’s a really good boat he said.

You want it, she asked.

No, I’m an abstract kind of guy he said.

Really, she said. I used to think I was too, till I finally figured out I was just scared that what I saw, when I looked at the world was not enough.

He thought about it. You seem different, he said.

She smiled a little.

You would paint better if you took all that jewelry off, she said. Your hands would be free.

You know its not about the painting right? He asked.

There was a long pause.

My real name is John. But I hated it cause it was like everyone else, so I changed it when I came to college, he said. Its amazing how easy it is to get even a new name.

Yeah I know, she said. Hey John, you want to go on the swings in the park?

I haven’t been on a swing since I was a kid, he thought. Yeah, but don’t you want to finish your boat? He asked.

No, I want to swing, she said.

The two artists became two people who wanted to swing…and somehow that was more than enough.