Sunday, October 29, 2006

a note on the walls

being of mediterranean origin, i have a real love for the whitewashed wall. the house that we rent was freshly painted by our landlord before we moved in. many of the rooms are a bright daffodil yellow. i know that it is fashionable to have brightly colored walls these days. blood red and edible avocado are all the rage. but i do sometimes miss the elegance of the white wall, the possibility that it holds, the simplicity, the beauty of light and shadows on its surface.

i also have an appreciation for peeling paint. the whole "shabby chic" furniture craze. an old house that is perfect but for its paint. a mouldering barn that can barely be called red. yet as the paint begins to peel in our house, just after a year of its application, i often feel dismayed. huge layers of paint ping to the floor. the ceiling boasts bubbles. where ever a nail is driven in for pictures, paint begins to crack and separate.

today i was taking note of the smooth layer of soft yellow that exists under the peeling paint in the living room. it's as if our landlord knew the paint would be peeling, and left us with an alternate color to look forward to. i'm beginning to have curiosity about how it will all look once the house is peeling more than it is painted. maybe i can help it along.

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