Fear and Love are two of the most basic and powerful human emotions. As they spread from person to person, they can inspire such extremes of behaviour as killing one another or dying for one another. Considering that the fundamental importance of love is so widely agreed upon, it is remarkable how many of us seem dedicated to promoting its opposite: fear.
"There is no fear in love: true love has no room for fear."
Fear is a natural response to danger that quickens the mind's efforts to anticipate and avoid potential peril or problems. However, stemming from the irrational part of the mind, it knows no logic and sometimes gets unhinged from its target. People whose lives have been filled with fear often continue to be afraid long after the potential danger has been removed, making up their own, irrational, reasons. Chronic fear is a debilitating state of mind that weakens body and soul, associated with heart conditions, nervous disorders, stress, depression and paranoia. This is especially dangerous when it affects the powerful, since it impacts the decision-making capabilities and distances people from the real consequences of their actions. Even worse, the natural result of fear is to act selfishly without regard for the wellbeing of others.
Love has many shades of meaning, but it is well understood as a selfless devotion to someone - a determination to do them right and to encourage and care for them. By focusing our attention away from dead matter such as money or material goods, onto the living beings on whom it rightly resides, love helps us to rediscover our humanity. Taking joy in relationships with others is a positive alternative to escapism, and it helps us overlook their failings, inspiring them to love us in return.
Art contains both love and fear in varying degrees and each artist feels both in creating and exposing her work to the eyes of others. Showing the creation from within lays heart and soul on the line and opens the artist to fear while they hope for love. The sketch here is even more so. A self portrait sketch that may or may not evolve into a drawing. The proportion isn't right, but the pose is interesting.
Technorati tags: art, moleskine, sketch, self portrait, love, fear
2 comments:
As I said earlier - the pose is great. You must do this as a 'proper drawing' - you've definitely got something with this one - it looks very promising!
Yes, I like the pose in this too. I need the kick to get out of my 'small sketch' rut right now.
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