International Women's Day Charcoal Drawing #1

This month marks International Women's Month (IWD), a month I look forward to celebrating every year. With every IWD, I reflect on the career path that led me to work solely with and alongside women, giving them a platform to tell their stories through visual means. As a woman, I have welcomed many identities in my life: mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, artist, entrepreneur and more. With each new identity I speak more intimately with new groups of women. I'm so proud and grateful to work with women, myself becoming more in tune and wiser with each new portrait completed and story told. 

This collection is incredibly special and deliberate. The five originals are all charcoal drawings on precious paper I brought back from Paris. Each work is 9"x12" and fitted in a custom wooden frame from my framers at Dramatika (framing details below). 

From the composition of the figures, the style of the drawings, and the choice of the frame, each step was chosen with intention. 

In former posts and writings, I have shared that my paternal grandfather was an artist. His figurative work inspired my entire career and each time I come back to the figure, I feel his inspiration guiding my hand as I put lines on paper. The five works in this collection are cropped, which was significant in my grandfather's portfolio. Additionally, the quality of the paper is textured and colored in a fashion that makes it look antique and worn, which reminds me of not only of my grandfather's work but also of my years spent showing art in Round Top surrounded by antiques and those who seek them out. The frame is a simple, warm, custom wooden frame without a mat, like one you'd stumble upon leaning in a stack of others in Round Top. The frames are all fitted to the works and include hanging hardware and Conservation Clear glass with UV protection. 

Additionally, I did not want to censor the figure to continue evolving the narrative of nudity in female figurative art, especially this month. The poses feature five different women, without censorship. Intention went into every aspect of these originals, from the concept in my mind, to the final display, and I am so glad to share them with you all.