Portraits

Portraits of the older generation

While I'm putting them on the page, I wonder what that person is like. What they've done, what they've seen, what they've endured. What they did during the hard times and the good times. As I develop the features, the realization comes that the story of their lives is reflected in their faces, in their eyes.  All of it makes a portrait to remember them by, a portrait of who they are.

  

Thoughts of an old man

Mrs. McCloud

 

Mrs. McCloud's eyes and hands tell a story. They were the first eyes seen as her hands held wet newborns. Her hands wiped way tears. They made boo-boos all better. They were strength to the frail and reassuring to the elderly. They even picked up a father-to-be or two. Mrs. McCloud helped people from all walks of life, no matter who they were, where they came from, or what they looked like, they got a helping hand - two of them. Now anyone who sees her eyes and hands know the portrait of her most appreciated years as a nurse.

Other Portraits

 

Waiting for you

 

The commissioner of this piece wanted this portrait of his wife because they had known each other since they were kids. His love had stuck with him through the good times and the not so good times.  With that tugging on my heart, how could I refuse?   Not to mention.... the price was right.

La Quinceanera

Juancho was proud of his daughter.  As proud of his name as he was, it could not compare to the pride he had for his daughter. He loved telling stories about her. She was three years old when she announced, "I'm going to be a model." One of her chores was to bring dinner to the table. With her back straight, head high, platter firmly in both hands she began placing one foot in front of the other. From beside the little stove in the little kitchen into the little dining room and to the dinner table she went. Delivering the paella with a smile. With an air that only New York and Milan can hold, she turned. And back to the kitchen she went with style! She was already on the catwalk! On her first modeling job, she stepped out to make the walk and looked over her shoulder. 

 

Bouret's Little Girl

This is the second drawing that came out to my liking. I drew this one about four, maybe five months after I started drawing. A friend of mine nicknamed "Chile" (his family actually lives in Uruguay) saw the first drawing and asked if I could draw his two little girls. I met both of them and they loved thier dad. "Papi" they called him. Not only were they were the best behaved kids, but they were both so adorable. (They also spoke English and Spanish! I was just learning Spanish at the time and was just amazed at this.) Anyway, I told him I couldn't promise, but I would try.