Sitting for the Artist
Thursday, 21st August 2014
Pencil sharpened,
His eyes dart to and fro and fro and fro
Not for frozen yogurt. Not today.
He is drawing me. Imagine that.
Have you ever watched an artist at work? It’s captivating.
Quick and detached, yet fully engaged, he sketches. Fast lines. Broad strokes. Erase, erase. Brush, blow. Look, then look again.
I’ve never been a good model. I get bored, lose interest, and forget I’m the object. But this was different. He became my focal point, the model to study.
So I made an oath to not criticize the finished piece. Not publicly or privately or jokingly would I judge the art, even if it were my own face. I will at once love its curves. I will accept the shadows, the lines, the sadness that seems to permeate every picture I see of me. And I will love it.
But at first glance, I’m surprised. The effort I had prepared to muster becomes unnecessary. It is beautiful, revealing, and totally alive.
It’s probably the most moving picture I’ve ever seen of myself. Somehow the artist has managed to capture not just my image, but my essence. There are no questions, not today. That woman, the one he sees, could not be doubted. Not today. I have proof. I’ve got the original and now you’ve got a copy. And it serves as a good reminder that beauty is not fixed. It is wild, unpredictable, and absolutely present in the moments of stillness.
Origional drawing by Wesley Cabral
Denmo is the founder and CEO of Earthbody. She is a writer, artist, therapist, and coach. You can reach Denmo here.
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