My Artistic Career

I just explored a new career possibility as a painter. Which should surprise you, no?

So far, as you know, I have displayed no artistic ability at all. I’ve taken the odd photograph, yes, with a couple of photo essays. One was about spring and the other was about fall. I have even showed you shaky video. There was also, an audio clip of me singing a Grateful Dead song, accompanied by me on my acoustic guitar. This last was personally hilarious.

I have attempted glass blowing, which is quite hard actually, and I have on my display shelf a piece of glass flower sort of art that I created.

And, yes, I’ve written an essay or two, there is The Play…. ( which reminds me… I sent the publishers Act I more than a month ago and they’ve not responded yet. Either they are still convalescing from the shock or they are laughing their heads off. Probably, they read out excerpts at lunch meetings or at team events at the bar, as light entertainment, as examples of bad writing they have encountered. (EDIT 2017 Dec: It’s available on Amazon. You can read more about it and get links to it here. )

But now, ladies, gentlemen and others, I have made completed my first painting. Yes, a work of real ART on CANVAS. Get a drink of water, sip slowly. Or hold your breath. It does wonders for hiccups. Take a walk around the kitchen, calm down. I know exactly what you’re thinking.

You’re thinking, “Is there no end to this man’s talents?”

Well, maybe you’re not quite thinking that. It’s OK! I agree, I’m not very talented, I know. My modesty is legendary. Everyone knows I’m not that talented. But you have a follow up question.

“What on earth induced you to attempt putting paint on canvas?”

Well, this past week was Employee Appreciation Week at work. What? Yes, didn’t I tell you? I’m back at work! Three weeks now in a row, I’ve been catching a train by the skin of my teeth and heading into downtown TO. Let me not get sidetracked, by that. You are well aware that I can be very easily distracted. Did you know that the 7:20 train is the most interesting of the 7 am trains? What? Yes, well, it’s your fault! I told you, I’m easily distracted!

Well, back to the Employee Appreciation Week. So the entire team booked into a paint night. We picked a sample painting that we would copy and we headed down to this restaurant at the crossing of Yonge and Wellesley where all the staff are hearing impaired. The walls are decorated with posters showing you how to order wine, whisky, coolers, margaritas and other drinks. The evening was hosted by Matti, who took us step by step into the creation of the painting. Each table had a mini easel, with a canvas, a cup of water, a paper plate with red, yellow, blue, black and white paint and two brushes.

At the end of the session we all had a completed painting. Our team then decided to have a short contest. We each named our paintings, named the characters in the painting and told a short story about the characters in the story. Here is mine.

My painting, called “Pat and the Cat”, won the prize for best name. Here is my story about Pat and her cat Lizzy. Ready? Here we go then.

Pat had a cat
The cat was fat
Pat wasn’t busy
She and her cat, Lizzy
Sat at the end of the pier
Dangling their feet with no fear
Under the stars they sat,
A lonely Pat and Lizzy,her cat.

There were some really deep and lovely stories we heard. We all won something. I plan to put this painting up in my office. It’s the only painting I’ll probably ever do in my life.

And now, folks! Here is the painting itself.

 Pat and the cat (c) Ajesh Sharma

Yes, the cat is there.

Look closely, it’s dark.

It’s a black cat!

Whoever saw a black cat on a dark night?

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  1. Soumya R

    Your entire article got me thinking… OMG! OMG! Please! You talk soooo much like me! 😀 I took a deep breath when I saw your painting. Soooooo beautiful. You should buy yourself some canvas and paint a lot. You should have a Paint Day every month and paint often. So beautiful, Sloword! Soooo lovely! 🙂

    1. TheLastWord

      Hahaha! Thanks! It looks much better in the pic than it does in real life… I don’t think it’s a career option!

      1. Soumya R

        Well, do it because it is going to make you happy and you seem happy. Be more happy with Art! 🙂 Why not more happiness? 🙂

        1. TheLastWord

          And who can argue with that? Well, I’m sure if I asked the PeevedPunjabi he’d find some way to rant about art. Or happiness. …he can always find a rant. 😉

          1. Soumya R

            Now, who is this Peeved Punjabi?

  2. molleyblog

    Really liked the painting. …wonderful for a first timer. But then you are an artist at heart.

    1. TheLastWord

      Gee…”an artist at heart ” wow. I thought I was a pragmatic, cold hearted realist. . Hmmmmmmm

  3. ladyofthecakes

    Of all the things you might have painted… I’d never have guessed that it would be A CAT! Floored. I am.

    1. TheLastWord

      I didn’t have a choice of subjects… still I tried hard to make her disappear. 🙂 It is ironic, I agree, that the group chose this catty thing over other options.

      Karma is a cat. A black cat.

  4. NancyTex

    If you create art, you are an artist. Art away, friend.

    1. TheLastWord

      Hmm I don’t know if I have the time or the talent to take up another hobby. I already have too many!

  5. SUNITA SRIRAM

    I am still searching for the cat and of course Pat too..anyway you have the distinguished privilege of wearing many hats for ‘name sake’ and taking me down memory lane…a long and jerky ride to the days when reciting nursery rhymes was a crown on somebody’s head…the rhyme went something like this…fat cat sat on a mat…
    Next about a painting of a horse in a grassy meadow..there was no grass ..when asked, the reply was that the horse had finished eating the grass, the obvious next question had to be where is the horse, to which the quirky answer was ..”do you think the horse would stay after having its tummy full?”

    1. TheLastWord

      Quick witted explanation for a blank canvas!

      Don’t know if you remember “Mother can sing. Pat can sing. Mother sing to Pat. Pat sing to Mother” ??