A nude, a challenge
Dignity, respect, and insight before us
Lines, smudges, charcoal
Fear, confidence
Looking inside, a trapeze of emotions
Inhale - exhale, the hand knows the way
Paper accepts and forgives as we string emotions together
At times, we sleepwalk the tense wire
Fear leaves as joy fills the void
Lines fade as they caress a hip
Smudges lift a breast
With another deep breath comes the hand
Shoulders rise near the finish.
The model dresses and we hope for approval
Another session is a reward in itself.
The mind wanders as I work, not far but still thoughts travel through as I draw. I hold to the task before me. My goal is a work of art even when I am simply honing my skills, trying out a new idea I've come across. I wonder, “Is the model happy?” “Is the pose too hard?” “Do they need a heater?” “Who are they?” As my skills gain strength I am able to hold a conversation while working and gain an insight into who they are and who I am drawing a poem of.
The idea of creating a visual poem came to me when I began to collect words to describe what I wanted in a painting. Eloquent was the first word I put in my notebook. I began carrying a notebook to write these abstract thoughts down. Classy was another word, and how to make a horse's rear-end classy was a problem I gave myself... The nude was a great subject to learn from, technical skills developed working from the nude. In addition to the technical aspect, I was learning insights into myself and that it took more than simple drawing and painting skills to make a work of art.
