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That was until I met Sophia, which could have been a span of seven years. Sonoma had some relationships and she sometimes had a boyfriend. She encouraged me to do the same but of girls, only I didn't care too. I was now being loyal to her, and my punishment was self-inflicted, although I think the real reason was that I was holding out for Anka as Sonoma called her, my dominant woman.
I bought one x one fir, and built canvas painting frames. I used Belgian canvas with formaldehyde, rabbit skin glue and a lead based primer, only available from Georgia. Acrylic paint was fairly new then. I did not trust it and I didn't like the smell. The nostril aroma was part of the experience. I did like the smell of turpentine, the linseed oils and the paint. As I did everything, I made the things to
last forever. I bought the best tube paints - Winsor & Newton Artists' Oils.
I used to like to stop in a glass and mirror shop at twenty-fourth and Mission.
In the summer I would stop by on my way home from work, which was at the Hotel California down-town, as we called it after the song popular at the time. They sold a lot of mirrors, art supplies up front and window glass out the back. It was a family business and the old man was often in the back, while his wife handled the show room. I would buy my paint there and talk to her, usually at some length. She liked me. I believe there was a long glass case along the north wall, and the store itself was a work of art and had a nice feeling.
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