Nudeside-down

2006 – I was 17 – my mom (see her here) asked me to paint a poster for the next summer semester of her dancing lessons waiting in the offering.

It’s not that one you see above – due to COVID-19 I haven’t had the possibility to take photos from the works hanging at my parent’s yet. However, I designed a series showing different scenes with dancers and body movement. My mom was so taken with them that she made me (a seventeen-year-old a really, REALLY!) challenging gift: a nude-drawing-course weekend!!

For me (I was the youngest one in the group of mid-twenties), it was a strange (ok, can’t deny: embarrassing!!) feeling sitting there and waiting for the two nude models taking off their cloths. I felt a kind of being at the wrong place at the wrong time that moment. But it became better :).

The teacher explained the techniques. We had to do some sketching exercises first: drawing the models and their movements without looking at the paper. Next, we had to use a palette-knife to mix some acrylics on a palette. The palette-knife was also our painting tool instead of a brush. That May, 20th in 2006 is noted as the first day in my life I worked with acrylics :). I remember, I was so impressed by the smoothness of the colours that I promised to myself that wouldn’t be the last time I experiment with them.

Now, arrived at my thirties, I’m very thankful that my mother supported me that way! It was an important experience for me I would have missed definetely!! So, thanks to you, mommy <3!!! Here they come, my interpretations – Body Studies in Acrylic:

magdalenaarte