Chance Meeting and Painting Clear Glass

One day, I attended a training class for my job in another office building. This was prior to my taking up oil painting. The security guard was painting in the security booth. It was not a very high traffic building, so I supposed his employer saw no harm in him doing that. After my training class, I stopped to talk to him. The combination of his security duties and oil painting worked well together. What a nice way to be able to enjoy your hobby at work! Good for the employer for allowing it.

We talked about how he started and what he enjoyed painting. At the end of our chat, he opened up a little drawer in his paint box and handed me a card. It was a picture of a clear glass vase with flowers. "Take this. It's a picture I painted and I printed it on greeting cards."

Not long after that day, I took up oil painting. 

I was intrigued by the image of the greeting card. It prompted me to ask how do you paint glass? I experimented with it. The principle is actually based on optical illusion. Here's my simple explanation - since one sees what is inside the perimeter or through the object, one’s perception automatically concludes that the perimeter shape must be transparent, and therefore, made of clear glass. The mystery of painting glass is solved.

 I have long forgotten what I learned in that job training class. But not this chance meeting. The event and the simple gift of a card came together like a stepping stone of sort which eventually led me to my blissful hobby and journey of self discovery.