I had the idea to paint April among the elephant leaves of her front garden. Not because it was a specific symbol of strength but to my surprise it turned out to be. She offered me the chance to do a more traditional figure painting by unabashedly letting me paint her in the nude! Her lack of modesty especially with this being in front of her house where passersby may have seen her, was awesome! She is an inspiration in her willingness to participate in this project with me not once but twice. Her generosity and openness remind me of when we first met. I’d just moved to town and didn’t know many people. I signed up for a CSA that she managed and when I went to my first pick up, I thought she was so nice and so I asked her if she’d be my friend! It’s not my normal approach to making friends but she was just so approachable and kind to a new person in town. And sure enough, she did become one of my best friends. That was 13 years ago! In my opinion, the kindness and openness that she exudes in her daily life is a big part of her strength.
- Subject Matter: figure, landscape