 Twenty-ish years ago, I did a number of very large portrait drawings of a 100 or so people who were important to me. At the time, it was part expression of love and part exercise in developing likeness without having to do a preliminary sketch. As for the latter, there was middling success, but I was mostly happy. As for the prior, easy win... just find photos of people important to me and for whom I cared deeply and go to work.Â
The reason this came up was that of late I have been reflecting a lot about loved ones who have passed out of my life... either through personal circumstance or because they slipped their mortal coil. Losing someone you care about is always a tragic circumstance, and there's little we can do to change matters other than be patient and let time heal the wound. The bigger surprise was WHO left my life and why and how those who remained changed. As a 30 year old, it's hard to predict how lives will change and how they will stay the same.Â
When you look at this, it is perhaps just a bunch of semi-cartoon faces, possibly, if you know me well, you see a likeness or two that you recognize. But for me, EVERY likeness has an initial recognition and immediately I recall 20 years of change and experience.Â
A shocking number of these have passed away (though certainly a minority), a larger number simply have gone separately and our lives no longer intersect... but a precious few continue to be a part of my daily fabric.
How short this life is.Â