Jet Skis And Manatees
or “The Sensure of Venus at Doctor’s Pass”
A takeoff of a Boucher painting is a comment on the rejection of another painting I submitted to a show. I guessed the reason was because there was nudity. I did not see a problem with restrictions but felt the application should state those limitations. There was an application fee, and it was unfair not to express conditions on the application yet not refund my payment. The judge’s rejection stated it was of poor quality. A second sticky note from someone who worked at the center said they disagreed and thought it was a great painting. I applied to a subsequent show with a takeoff of Rubens’ painting and had to stand my ground to get it into the show.
I painted Jet Skis and Manatees as a diptych and stretched the canvas over a galvanized steel plate. The second panel is a small closet with magnetic bathing suits that can be applied to the painting when the nudity needs to be covered. There is an intentional spelling mistake in the title “The Sensure of Venus at Doctor’s Pass,” combining censure and sensual,