I want you to look at this portrait. Really look at it, feel it, let it draw you in. Where does your eye travel to first? Does it stay there or does it move? How does it move? Do your eyes dart from here to there or do they slowly swirl and absorb? What does that say to you and how does this portrait make you feel?
There’s a real power to a portrait and it’s not always obvious. What you see in a portrait can be different to how you feel about it – and your feelings are often more representative of who you are and where you’re at rather than the actual intent of the artist.
Recently, I went to an Artist’s talk at the Ipswich Art Gallery and it really opened my eyes. To hear about the thought process behind the work was incredible, and I would have never “got there” on my own. The experience made me think about the communication of my own work.
I don’t talk about my clients much – I’m a firm believer in “What happens in the studio, stays in the studio.” I don’t even tag clients on social media because I also believe their story is there’s to tell, not mine. I just need to show that I can take a good photograph and word of mouth will do the rest – at least I hope it will! 😬 With permission though, I’m going to begin sharing the occasional story in these newsletters. It’s a very personal thing, right?!?!
So, that brings me to Ian and Shelly.
I’ve known these two since the early 2000s when I lived in Marysville. Boy, we went through a lot together until I moved up north after Black Saturday. We’ve always kept in touch.
Ian and Shelly received bad news a few years ago. Ian had cancer. In the blink of a eye, 3 years passed, 2024 arrived and they flew me back to Marysville to document a day with them. They each had ideas of what they wanted to create and we did them all. I added in a few too. It was one of the most special days of my life. I thought I knew love, but what I bore witness to showed me that I really didn’t know that kind of love at all. There’s a melancholy for me, an anemoia even, when I think of that day we shared.
We created this portrait together. I wanted to show that they are two parts of a whole, never apart, not always together. The swirl of Shelly’s hair connects their minds to their hands and hearts. Saudade. We knew what we were creating and why.
Ian died a few weeks later.
A portrait doesn’t need to be a big thing, it needs to be a meaningful thing. Portraits are what we hold on to when we can no longer hold on in person.
We all carry around cameras in our phones these days. I urge you to get yours out and make sure you have photographs of yourself and those you love. Print them and surround yourself with who and what matters most to you.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts. Are you in the picture?
Until next time,
