A New Life

On rare occasions something out of the ordinary and wonderful comes your way. A month or so ago I received an e-mail from a women in search of a figurative artist. She was seven months pregnant with her first child and had in mind an original artwork that would capture this special time in her life. She knew other women who had gone to photo studios for this purpose but was looking for something more personal.

A New Life, oil pastel on toned paper, 13 1/2" X 8", 2016

I avoid commissions like the plague but this request struck a nerve. I have had the good fortune of working with pregnant models several times over the decades. The first time in college. Every one was a special experience. My main trepidation in this case was that I didn't feel up to the task. I had been working outside on a cityscape oil the last two months and my figure drawing skills had atrophied. But this project was so compelling I tossed aside my fears and offered to make an attempt if she was agreeable. The warmth and joy this expectant mother projected was contagious. The experience exceeded anything I might have imagined.