You know how in movies when someone has a black eye they always say they got it from walking into a door? I could never figure out how that could happen until I did it myself last week during the night and then forgot about it when I woke up.
Yesterday I was trying figure out what a sore red bump on my forehead was—a sort of vertical red line. I thought of all kinds of scary possibilities, going from pimple to blood poisoning to brain tumor. Finally, this morning I remembered that when I was sick last week I was hurrying to the bathroom in the dark and walked right into the open door.
What I hit my forehead on was the narrow side of the door, not the front or back of the door. I’d always pictured people walking into a closed door and it seems like that would make it difficult to bump your face on, since your feet would hit first. But the side of the door was easy; my feet were on either side of it. Fortunately I don’t have a black eye, just a red stripe up my forehead.
About the painting:
With all the nose blowing and drinking vast quantities of fluids while I was sick, this was a sight I saw frequently over the past week.
My bathroom has a large glass block window that shines the most lovely morning light on the less lovely items in the small bathroom. Since it’s such a small room it would be hard to get an easel in there so I took a few photos and worked from them.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
15 replies on “Toilet Paper Roll in Lovely Light”
You caught those delicate colors so beautifully but how anyone can do that is oil amazes me–I would find it a challenge in an easier medium. In fact, does a beginner like me know any medium that could be called easy?
annie
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Thanks Annie, I think any kind of painting is not easy until you’ve
had lots of practice. The trick is enjoying the process and not having
too high expectations at first, but of course that’s easier said than
done! Jana
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This is an exquisitely coloured painting – whoever would think it? I’ll be looking at loo rolls in a whole new light…
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Ouch Jana!! I have to say, even though this sounds awful, that maybe you should think of putting a bucket beside the bed when you have a migraine. I nearly always faint before I get sick and I’ve fallen down a flight of stairs and also across a bath nearly having to cancel a holiday thinking I’d broken my ribs. Been lucky not to kill myself on ocassion. Now I take no chances and get that bucket just in case.
This a beautiful rendition of an unlikely subject – wonderful!
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Felicity, thanks for the good advice but in this case I was actually
just heading to the bathroom in the middle of the night for the usual
reasons, no bucket required. How scary to faint with migraines. It
happened to me once too, but after the migraine was over. I thought it
was a combination of the migraine medicine I had taken and then
standing up after squatting to relight the hot water heater, which had
gone out. I walked a couple of steps and then fainted, landing on my
face in the cement and breaking a tooth. Jana
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What a unique subject! Goes to show that anything can be beautiful in the right light. 🙂 The colors are exquisite. Thanks for sharing!
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Really beautiful, I think it may be one of my favorite oils of yours. Love those delicate colors, and the texture in the snippets of paper that are left behind.
Poor baby, with a red, sore stripe on your forehead! But at least you figured out what it was, and know that it’ll heal. I’m sorry, I had to laugh at the picture that made.
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Nel, It’s even funnier now that it’s turning sort of olive green colored! Jana
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Lovely variations on white. I’ve often admired the unearthly, pristine colors and surfaces of this earthiest of rooms.
With apologies to Edna St. Vincent Millay and Jana–
“My roll gave out at both ends.
It did not last the night.
But in the glass-block dawning,
It gives a lovely light.”
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You have illustrated the gift of your craft – elevating the mundane to the sublime.
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Delicate fresh image I like it
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I once did the toilet in watercolor years ago. I remember really liking all the pinks and oranges I could see in the white porcelain. This is as beautiful as it is amusing! I love your inspirations!
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I really like the abstract mystery of this one – beautiful
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Jana, Jana, Jana. I shouldn’t laugh, but that’s what I’m doing. I hope you are all better now. Reminds me of a time a few years ago when I was visiting a friend’s up north cabin, outdoor “plumbing” only. I had to get up in the middle of the night, and when I leaned over to put on shoes I beaned myself on the dresser corner in the dark. Got quite the shiner. Oh well. I really like this painting of the toilet paper roll. This is a subject I wouldn’t think of, but it works.
Sherry
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Thanks Sherry, Glad to know I’m not the only one! You made me laugh too,
always a good thing, so thanks!
Jana
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