From my very first painting up until this very day I have always enjoyed becoming a part of the entire process of painting. Even back in the 60’s I seldom bought pre-stretched canvases to paint upon. I always enjoyed buying raw canvas, gessoing the canvas to my approval, and then stretching it on wooden slats that I had sawed and nailed together myself. After the gesso had dried and the canvas was stretched I then jumped in for all I was worth and painted many hours into the night and the early morning. By the time my painting session was over I was covered head to foot in oil paint, gesso, and a number of sticky drying mediums that were very difficult to remove so I just went to bed covered as I was … a living work of art … and a sight to behold the next day when I awoke. But I had paintings … beautiful paintings. I had paintings! Nothing else mattered.