"Next time you start a painting, try to think about what inspired you," Cameron continues lecturing Rudolf, not willing to drop it just yet. "Don't let it confuse you. An artist should always know what they're doing."
"Well, maybe part of his work's charm will be the fact that it's confusing," I say.
Cameron gives me this questioning look like he's trying to figure out why I'm arguing with him. I'm not meaning to, I mostly just want him to shut up and stop showing off. I have work to do and he's being obnoxious. Rudolf didn't even ask for his help.
He turns back to Rudolf and keeps badgering him, but at this point, I pretty much just tune them out. I need to get started on this project if I want to be able to plan the rest of my week around the next stupid abstract assignment I have. Thankfully, not all of my classes are this terrible. I'm in a senior independent study that's the last credit I need for my major and I'm allowed to make anything I want as long as it meets a certain standard.
I'm actually working on a huge painting for my portfolio right now. It's of a cow. Not a particularly elegant cow...she's pretty lumpy, but I like the colors I picked. There's something about muted greens and yellows that I always end up coming back to.
There's something ugly about those colors. People tend to hate them. That's why I love them.
I like this painting way more than the abstract stuff I've had to force out recently. I think everyone could tell it was forced, too. I feel like it's always obvious if you have an eye for that sort of thing. It was crappy work. I can do way better.
Cameron should really get started. He wanted to come down here to start on his own shit, so he should quit pestering Rudolf. Rudolf probably wants to be left alone. He still isn't being particularly chatty back.
Rose comes up behind me and says, "That looks really cool."
"Yeah, it's all right so far."
"It's so cute," she gets up close and personal. "You even gave her a nose piercing like the one you have."
"Thanks," I reply, curling my upper lip and pressing it against my septum ring, "I felt like it would look good on her, too."
Female cows usually don't have these, as Cameron eloquently pointed out when I started working on her, but...I don't care. She's just edgy or something. She probably hangs out at the saloon and drinks so much beer that her milk is sour. I hope all the bulls are intimidated by her.
"It looks super cool," Rose agrees.
I wonder what more Cameron is going to have to say about this piece now that it's almost done. It's inevitable that he'll say something, whether that's good or bad. Either way, nothing he says is going to sway me. Nothing he says ever changes my mind on how I feel about shit.
"Thanks, babe," I say, trying to sound sincere but it still comes out sounding pretty flat.
"You're welcome," she puts a hand on my shoulder. "I like these little animals you draw. I haven't seen anything else quite like them. "
"Thank you," I say again. "Seriously, thanks."
"I'm not complimenting you, jeez," she teases, wrapping her arms around my neck and giving me a little hug. "I'm just telling you the truth."
"You're a fruit," I tell her.
"You're a fruit!" she retorts.
I laugh. "Thanks, babe," I lift my brush and go back to working on my painting. "Love you."
"Love you too," she says, planting a kiss on my temple. "I don't really want to, but...I should probably head out. I remembered that I do have some stuff I need to get done today. I ran out of dish soap two days ago and still haven't made it to the store."
"How could you?" I slap a hand over my heart and feign hurt.
She knots her fingers in my hair and gives a playful tug.
"Ow! I was just kidding!" I exclaim. "Thanks for driving Cam and I over here. Sorry it wasn't more fun."
"No, it was totally fun," she insists.
"All right, if you say so."
She gives me a peck on the lips. "I'll call you later." Then she turns to Cameron and says goodbye.
"See you," he echoes, not really paying attention.
"Nice meeting you, Rudolf," she adds, waving to him. He waves back but doesn't respond.
With that, she's out the door. I turn back to my painting and start filling in some of the blank spaces, putting on the finishing touches.
Cameron also seems to be mostly done with whatever the hell it is he's been working on. Now he's back chattering at Rudolf, who's answering pretty curtly.
I try my best to ignore them and eventually, I've finished. I finally pull my paint thinner out of the flammable liquid cabinet and start the soaking and blotting process.
Cameron notices and he pauses his conversation, wandering over.
"You done?" he asks, poking his head around my canvas.
I nod and he pauses to evaluate it. "This looks a lot more like you," he says.
"Totally, yeah," I nod, trying to sound like I don't care. I'm honestly just glad that he's not getting on my case about it.
"Is it one of your animals?" Rudolf asks, not bothering to come over and see it.
"Yeah," I confirm. "That's like, pretty much all I do."
"I saw some of them in the junior show last year," he adds.
I wait for him to elaborate, but it doesn't seem like he's going to. He must not have much to say about my work past that. It's really not that interesting anyway.
"Is it a self-portrait?" Cameron asks with a snicker.
"Shut the fuck up, man," I say.
"I'm just kidding, it's cool," he says, nodding his approval. "The fleshy color scheme is pretty typical for you, but it still suits the entire theme you've got going on. It looks pretty grotesque, but in a way that's fascinating."
"All right, thanks," I say. "Well, I guess I'm done here. I'm going to put this away and go home. I have my weight class later."
Cameron gives me a thumbs up. "I'll probably stick around. I've still got some work to knock out."
"Cool, see you later," I say as I start gathering my shit.
I leave the studio and head downstairs, stopping by my locker to drop off my supplies. I'll leave my painting here for the weekend, then Monday I'll come pick it up before class.
Once I'm done, I throw my scarf, hat, and gloves back on, getting bundled for the bus ride home. The metro in Minneapolis is good, but nothing compares to the New York subway. At least that shit's underground so you're out of the snow and wind. Luckily, the stop I'm headed to isn't far from the building, so I scramble the numbers on my padlock and head out.