The Power of Paint

 

Early Tuesday morning, the call came announcing the painters had arrived! I jumped up, grabbed my paint chips and headed for the house. It’s not the first time the house has been painted, of course. But it’s the first time, since we built the house, that my husband and I weren’t doing it ourselves. Exciting and nerve racking. 

So making sure that the right colors got onto the right walls was very important. I had picked out three shades of gray (not 50, lol) to go on different walls in the three rooms of our open concept living space.

I also had the wood mantle redone in a satin black to tie into the black gas insert. And had the vaults painted in Polar Bear(the lightest gray/white) in the great room and up the stairs. I’m so glad my husband was not the one balancing a ladder on the stairs!

Uplifting change. 

Being greeted by the smell of fresh paint was wonderful. Looking up at the vaulted ceiling felt like looking at a white cloud filled sky. But the very best was seeing the change on the fireplace wall. Removing my once beloved red and repainting a gray was a big change that lightened the room. It also made the natural brick fireplace an interesting new focal point. 

The change in the dining nook area is very subtle. At first, I questioned by choice, but it grew on me. I realize that once the table, chairs and rug are back in place it will be a cozy nook. Where I can now use a variety of colors as accents.  

Inspiration to paint. 

While the house painters were hard at work, I picked up my own paint brushes. Since I can’t throw clay to ease my stress, I pulled out my old watercolors and paper. I had no idea or concept or landscape to render. My only goal: play. 

When I pulled out my brushes, I was greeted by old friends. My wash brush! I got this brush in my very first painting class with Charles Mulvey. I was only 16 years old(and the youngest in his class) but I loved it from the first. 

Painting a white watercolor paper with water, adding color and watching it flow still seems like magic. Splatting red and yellow from my brush is so fun. Adding salt and seeing it create all of those wonderful new spaces from pools of color is delight. 

Later, I added the black tree and bird. 

Pictured there on the paper were all my feelings: chaos, love, excitement, change. 

The tree with no roots: Me right now, floating in a sea of change trying to remain steady. 

But there is bright paint on my ceilings, like the bright colors on the watercolor sky.   

First Covid. Now a Flood.

 

I haven’t written for two weeks because I’ve been in shock. What do you say when you wake up one morning and your entire kitchen is flooded? Other than unprintable expletives? 

After throwing every towel into the lake and turning off our water, we called the plumbing company. The very same plumbing company who had installed a new water valve just a few months ago. It was 7:30 in the morning but unfortunately, we were told they couldn’t make it out until 4pm. We spent the rest of the day continually mopping up the floor, emptying the bucket under the sink and trying to function with the water turned off. 

The problem: a failed water valve. Yup. The newly installed, new fangled water valve failed. The plumber installed another new one, at no charge this time. But we were left to deal with the flood. Call  the plumbing company, our home insurance company and wait. 

A great room that’s now not great. 

Our house is a great room concept. So it’s essentially one big room with the wide plank flooring. The flooring runs through almost our entire downstairs: laundry, kitchen, dining and living rooms. 

So does the flood damage. The water damage from the failed valve went under the floorboards from the kitchen sink at one end of the room to the living room on the other. Because it’s a plank laminate floor, the entire floor has to be ripped up and replaced.

Oh, that’s not all. Black spots appeared on the drywall under the sink. The drywall behind the cabinets on either side of the sink is also damaged. That means ripping out the countertops, tile and bottoms cabinets which is most of my kitchen. They are hoping the island is not involved but they don’t know at this point.

All of this is, of course, going to affect everything: baseboards, walls, paint. Yeah.  

No words.

After the evaluation, I was speechless. My husband and I helped design and choose everything in this house. It’s not just a house, but a loving home to our children and now grandchildren. 

And now we are left with mold and extensive water damage. The kitchen sink area is so bad, I have to hold my breath to use the trash can or sink, so I’ve moved things to the utility room. 

In addition, we’ve been left with the task of finding a licensed, honest contractor to do the restoration and rebuilding work. With the high demand on home remodeling, we are having a hard time getting even email responses. 

In the mean time, the water damage is festering and the floor buckling is spreading everyday. 

A good note?

I always try to leave my blog on a good note. Spread joy, creativity, hope or healing. I’m sorry to say, I just don’t have much right now except sleepless nights and high anxiety. But still I’ll try. 

I’m grateful I have enough work for an upcoming show in August. (I can’t get work done now)

I’m grateful for friend and family support and everyone fully vaccinated. 

I’m grateful for a good sign: seeing a mama deer and fawns trot by me on my daily walk.