Edgar Whitney's on Location Set Up...


Dear Wes, Here is a piece of blog:
(Blogspot Photo and text by Frank Webb)

This image shows Ed's gear used on location. The right side shows a masonite panel that sits on folding legs and is within reach of Ed from his seat on a 16 inches high campstool, At top center is his palette box that has only a two inch alley between color banks for gathering color. This palette was originated by Eliot O'Hara and the idea is that the painter should mix color on the paper and not so much on the palette.You will notice that the palette is separate from the box and is slanted in two directions to keep sullied color from the mounds of fresh paint. This box was made by Grumbacher and I believe it was item no. 964. The palette box shows an array of brushes. His workhorse of a brush is shown at bottom, center. It is a two inch flat squirrel hair, Grumbacher Mottler. The rectangular, cellulose sponge is used for adjusting the amount of charge in the brush by touching the sponge after charging. Ed's water pan is shallow. This facilitates his banging his brush on the bottom to speedily clear away the paint in his brush.
Not shown in this picture is Ed's painting board which he usually placed on top of his half sheet painting bag. This was placed on folding legs and was therefore level with his gear to his right. In future blogs I expect to show other images that might help to focus on the production and the aesthetics of watercolor.
On a philosophic note: One day Ed asked me to shared my shortest definition of art. I thought a moment and then replied,
"Embodied meaning"
This was a quote from Louis Reid. Ed then shared his favorite shortest definition which was from Santayana,
"Pleasure objectified"
Conversation with Ed was often peppered with quotes and aphorisms.