(click to enlarge)
Interestingly enough, while up until 4 am, I was reading this long but fascinating old Art In America article by Wade Saunders about assistants. He interviewed over 20 artists, many of whom had been assistants to others years ago, and now employed assistants of their own. One thing that came up again and again was that the artists said they liked having other people essentially make their work, because then they had less attachment to it, and could destroy it or alter it more easily.

I may do this angel again, as I have learned something that will make it different the next time..... (or I may go on to the next thing, and wait until I get an assistant in here and have THEM do it). I am going to let this sit on my wall for a while to see what it needs. There will be other things happening to it, undoubtedly involving red velvet.

As I was spraying this piece, beyond what was happening to the work, I could not help but feel that it was a necessary and monumental step for this control freak artist.