Face #20: Adrianne Pedlikin

Excerpt from my blog (jillbanks.blogspot.com)

100 Faces in 100 Days: Day Twenty

1/20/11

Another milestone. Adrianne Pedlikin is Face #20. Yea!!

Adrianne used to work for me in my life #1 -- the old days, and we both agree that she doesn't look a bit different. She doesn't age at all. 

We talked non-stop and so, while I have her mouth closed ... that's just not the way it was. Even when I asked her to "try" to do it for a photo ... she had to concentrate and get ready for that second before it broke into a smile or a laugh. Pretty funny. I figure that this is still her, even with her mouth closed because her eyes are smiling.

She was fascinated with her finished painting. It was tough to stop looking at it "because you never get to look at yourself in that way." It seemed three-dimensional and her own eyes followed her as she moved side to side at the painting. That three-dimensionality comes from having someone sit for you ... live ... versus from a "flattened" photo. I paint what I see and I obviously see in 3D. Much cooler.

Adrianne next to the almost finished painting of her.

I'm going to post this ... and come back and add to this one later. Since I've now one fifth of the way through my faces project ... I'd like to just reflect on this journey we're on and share it with you. So, more later!

I'm back!

My Project So Far
So, at Face #20, I'm feeling great! I find myself talking to anyone and everyone I meet or run into about this project. Yesterday, when I dropped off my Strauss Fellowship grant application, I stopped in the store/gallery downstairs in the Arts Council gallery and started talking to the very nice woman who sat at the desk there. I had come from a wonderful sitting/painting session with Begona and I was on Cloud Nine. (The good cloud.) She got excited about it ... and said I was positively glowing. I imagine I was. One of the great things about the project is that the people I'm painting are seeing me: a person who just loves what she gets to do all day and with her life. I want everyone to be living out their passion, whatever it is. You can do that.

I can't possibly reflect on everything, but here are a few more observations/parts of conversations that have stuck with me.

Each of my sitters are extraordinary people.  I love just how unique each person is and I'm getting a chance to see how different each of us is on both the inside and outside. I'm getting wiser because what's brought out in conversations here are the highlights or epiphanies in life. (It helps when people share their epiphanies with you.) I will carry a part of each one with me.

Begona told me something about my teaching that was interesting. She said that she wanted to take classes from me because in addition to liking my art, she liked the way I paint. I made it seem easy and fun. She felt like she could do it. (She can and does.) But, I like her observation ... because Iwant people to know that they can learn to paint (and have just as much fun as I do).

A lot of people are excited about the project. They are becoming a part of it by reading (this) blog. Some comment on it. Some volunteer to sit. Some know someone who has volunteered. And, a whole bunch of all of those people are telling other people about it. (That's good. I hope you keep it up!)

Just like me, you don't know what will happen next. Or whose face will appear tomorrow. Or what snag I'll run into ... or painting or life epiphany will strike. The painting part is a bumpy cycle of anticipation, frustration, perseverance, relief, and exhiliration. The people part is awesome.