Gustav's Tree

by RC DeWinter

Title

Gustav's Tree

Artist

RC DeWinter

Medium

Painting - Digital Oils-paintography-photopainting

Description

Copyright 2014 RC deWinter ~ All Rights Reserved

It had been an age since I had laid eyes on Gustav. I met up with Edward a couple of times, and Vincent has been stalking my dreams, but Klimt - he'd been missing in action for months.
This didn't surprise me. Gustav has an extremely active social life and is such the ladies' man, always pursuing new amours, one of which I have never been by mutual agreement. I was rather surprised then, when upon answering a knock at my door there he stood, looking rather tired and old.
"Gustav!" I exclaimed. "How wonderful to see you. I think it's been over a year."
I refrained from mentioning his appearance, not wishing to offend him or sound like I was prying.
"Ach," he said, shaking his head sadly as he stepped inside. He walked over to the couch and settled himself almost gratefully.
"Up to your usual round of entertainments?" I questioned. "And painting as well, no doubt."
"No, not too much in the way of entertainment," he answered. "I had a terrible winter with my health. Bronchitis that gripped me so brutally I was bedridden for almost a month. Then a bout of shingles, the most horrible pestilence known to man. I have not had an easy time of it."
"Let me make you a cup of tea," I said. "And just yesterday I made a wonderful jam tart. I will bring some of that too."
"I would prefer coffee," Gustav replied with a touch of his usual asperity. "Drinking tea always makes me feel like an old woman."
"No one would ever mistake you for an old woman, Gustav," I replied, "but coffee it shall be."
I headed for the kitchen as he closed his eyes and leaned back into the couch. I wondered if he was going to fall asleep in the time it was going to take me to make the coffee. It didn't take long to brew, and setting two mugs on a tray with the tart, I grabbed a couple of cloth napkins from a drawer - Gustav being rather formal about food - and returned to the living room. The wonderful aroma of the coffee, dark and strong, must've revived him, for Gustav sat straight up, and leaning forward, eyed the tart.
"Humph," he grunted. "Rather elaborate. I didn't know you were such a hausfrau."
"Me, a hausfrau? Hardly, but I do know how to bake and cook as well, you know that. Even if" - and here I wrinkled my nose - "I don't know how to cook cabbage."
The reference to cabbage was an old and standing joke between us, going back to my first experience of sharing a meal with Gustav. He knows I despise it.
I poured his coffee and handed him a slice of tart, watching with satisfaction as he seemed to enjoy both. There was no conversation for a several minutes as we relaxed with our coffee and pastry.
After he finished the tart and gestured for another cup of coffee Gustav reached into his satchel.
"I have only just begun to paint again in earnest," he said, "and I don't yet have my normal energy back, but I thought I would show you a little fantasia I have just completed. Your autumn here in New England is so spectacular I decided to paint a tree. Of course I have not stooped to painting an ordinary maple or some such, but I think you will like this."
He drew out a longish narrow box and opened one end carefully. Tilting it toward his lap, he slid out the painting. Sliding himself along the couch well away from the food and drink on the coffee table, he removed the wrapping. Always dramatic, he left the painting on his knees, lying flat.
"Don't tease me, you terrible old man," I cried. "Show!"
"Old man!" he roared back. "Is that how you speak to me when you surely know better?"
I laughed and said, "Now I know you're feeling better, I just wanted to see what kind of a reaction I would get." Smiling demurely, I continued, "Please, do show me the painting."
Gustav grunted irritably and grasping it by it sides, stood the long wooden panel up facing me.
"Wonderful! You have captured the beauty of the New England autumn and yet made it all your own. I don't think I will ever see a work by you that disappoints." Yes, I was gushing a bit to make up for the old man comment, but the painting was indeed wonderful.
Mollified, he smiled. "I thought you would like it," he said. "I thank you for the refreshment, but now I must be going. I have a dinner engagement this evening with a delightful young lady. I met her in a bookstore the other day and am anxious to know her better."
"I'm sure you are," I replied wryly. "But allow me to take a photograph of your wonderful painting so I can remember it." Grabbing my little camera, I snapped a few shots."And don't be such a stranger. Come and see me again soon when we will have more time to talk."
"I shall, I shall," Gustav said as he wrapped up the painting and replaced it in the box and then put the box back in the satchel.
I walked him to the door and he called over his shoulder as he left, "We have much to catch up on."
"That we do," I answered to his retreating back, although I'm not at all sure he heard me.
And here I share Gustav's delightful little tree with you.
~ copyright 2014 RC deWinter

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Thanks to the group hosts for their encouragement and support.

tree, klimt, autumn, leaves, stylized, contemporary, botanical, semi-abstract, decorative, still life, rc dewinter, dewinter

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June 20th, 2014

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