This last week I've been working on this - black pencil, conte and black pan pastel and eraser on 22x30" Legion Stonehenge, beautiful paper. Starting with a multi-layered self-portrait and general idea for the setting... I knew someone would be running in from blaring light outside. At first it was a man, then after the trauma from 2 weeks ago, decided it'd be female. And then I started asking questions - "Who do you see? Who else is there?" She isn't sure of what she sees or is experiencing, so I added a third character. A younger female... is she real? a figment? but she reaches out because she isn't sure I'm really there! At least that's what I was thinking as this narrative was building. So it's about ambiguity. Ambiguity about our experience. This makes sense after the trauma where I felt both my reality and personal space were being played with and trampled upon.
I needed a hand for the 3rd figure. so photographed my own hand in the mirror, with bright light coming from behind, until I had the right gesture.
