I have known this lovely young lady now for several years and she has enjoyed some of our beers as well as the INO Greek dry red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and most recently now some delightful Spanish sparkling wine from Valencia that is off-dry ( FLARE ) and that tastes like fresh apricots and peaches, pears, nectarines - get the picture yet?
I love these two first darker images where the ceiling lights above accent her curly hair that she just tinted a red shade whereas before it was a darker brown coloring. I notice things like this : it's the artist in me coming out. The other day she was in the store with a friend and she was shopping for her father. I asked her to come to the office so that I could show here these pictures that I took without her knowing. I don't want people to pose and be self-conscious. being a young artist herself she had no problem with this and I believe actually liked the pictures. She said that it would be fine with her for me to write my story and post these pictures : that she wanted me to tell her when the blog was up so that she could see it. I have no problem with that as this is a tribute to all the youth and beauty and sparkle and charm that I see in her that runs the whole gambit from her warm and gentle smile, the twinkle/spark of her eyes and the fullness and softness of all her facial features that become so intensified once that your gaze leaves her face and settles on her tattoos that run in brilliant undulating/pulsing feminine forms up the whole length of her right arm.
She tells me that she is ready to soon do her left arm and cover it in tattoos as well. There's plenty to look at now so enjoy these photos that I took while talking to her the other day in the store in Washington D.C. She was enjoying her ice tea I believe and trying to decide what bubbly to buy. More so, we were enjoying catching up on things as we often talk about art in some form or another as we have both been and are still involved in the visual arts. She just graduated and is studying hair-dressing as it will permit her to work anywhere in the country that she might like. Her boyfriend has a similar type of job and so they may move around if and when they want and be sure to find some type of employment. That's a great feeling to have, really.
It's amazing what a little faith and some practice can do when taking digital photographs. I had my Canon digital camera in my right hand with the flash off and pointed upwards towards her and the bright ceiling lights for contrast and interesting composition and I had really no idea exactly what I would get as I was not looking through the view finder/lens/screen. That's okay. I always believe that as I see a picture in my mind and move my camera around enough that I will come up with an interesting photo or more. Here I got a number that I think are art in themselves with a lovely, striking subject, too. I also like that her ice tea comes in a transparent plastic cup and that it mirrors the color of light at times and that of her hair and the cup itself along with the straw add another element that is interesting. Do you all agree?
Look at the beauty and the starkness yet softness, too of the image above? I love it.
This picture above is bold and stark and all about light and dark and simplified forms of arms, hands, cup , hair, chin and lights above. She must have been brushing her hair back in this photo. As I said I like it : totally natural and something that we all do. The top of the straw takes center stage here framed so nicely by something taped to the glass wall there of the office.
In these pictures you have to enlarge them on the screen to see them better as I was not using the flash. I like the calmness and the serene quality in her face here. The tattoos serve to draw you head up to her face just as the straight angle of the straw in her plastic tall cup does. WE are drawn to the light and stop and enjoy and contemplate after the furry and the boldness and the strength of the colors of her arm tattoos the softness, roundness and feminine beauty of round lips and nicely-sculpted facial features and earth brown-red curly hair. Nice. Who can resist stopping with their eyes to pause , soak up and enjoy the moment before moving along. A nice respite - a welcome oasis for the yes, soul, mind of mine I may assure you.
I think that I am fascinated here because she does things with her body that I simply would not : tattoos and ear and nose rings are simply out for me and she has them all. The most difficult for me are the body-piercings and especially the nose. I am drawn to look and find am immediate oasis every time in her eyes that calm, please, charm and excite me as they are so alive and feminine and reposeful - filling me full of repose and joy and warmth and good feelings, like being gently rocked in a rocking chair - all good.
I guess the body-piercing and the jewelry that comes along with it are optional in her case because she does not always wear the nose ring. As fascinated by it as I am I must admit to my timid soul in this case that I like her better without it. She's less edgy. To be perfectly honest I just like her better without it because it challenges me less when she does not wear it. It's easier for me to look at all of her face when she does not have it : it's easier for me and I am sorry to have to admit this as it is a failing of mine and I know it.
I admire her for having the nerve and the ability to do all this and carry it out and wear the look with total ease and confidence as if it was nothing at all. She does have friends and most of the have it all just as she does - males and females. They come to the store to shop with her and I am always fascinated by it all. I'm drawn and equally repulsed : all in one - all at the same time. That's bad I know and I am not proud of this. However, when I am around her I force myself to go beyond these irrational sensations that I have that are silly and that I should climb over and permanently away from, never to have anymore - ever!
That's easier said than done and so each and every time that we meet I go through this mind/gut/emotional/irrational ritual of mine and I am always glad that I do because I find her to be an utter delight in every sense.
So, what does she think of me : balding and graying and somewhat wrinkled and without any tattoos or body-piercings? Does she ever judge me or find me wanting because I have none of them? I don't think that she does : I don't think that it crosses her mind. I may be wrong about this, maybe she will read this some day and tell me her reactions here to what I have written. That would be very welcome and very nice for me as our ages are quite different and it's nice to connect with others that are either older or younger than yourself.
It's nice to know that there is a genuine appreciation for one another as I do feel that we have ; and I appreciate this very much as I like to stay current and relevant and connected as I like to say that I get younger with age. I say this because to get older with age is perhaps the surest kiss of death and failing health and spirits and soul. What do you think?
I like this picture above as I believe that it captures much of what may be seen visually, that I often see that draws me to her and makes me want to talk to her and share ideas and experiences.
What are the tattoos of on her right arm? I love the way the curl and swirl and move with warmth and excitement and confidence all up her right arm. They charm me I must say but look at her right hand and fingers - long and equally appealing in their skinned/only flesh-toned bareness-nakedness. That's a hand that I would like to hold.
I pointed this picture out to her above because it has her looking down and smiling almost as if saying that she knew what I was up to and found it amusing. It's almost as if with this smile of hers at my Canon digital camera that she is saying it's okay and that she is willing to play along with this game of mine and see where it will go?
She said that she was not at all aware of me taking these pictures, that she did not know what she was looking at and smiling about? It may have been something amusing that our conversation brought up to her?
I like the picture : it says it all ; it's expressive of her and her poise and confidence and ease with things. It speaks volumes about her and all good, too.
I love this picture above because it really does capture here in all her glory and ease and beauty, warmth and confidence. She seems to have comfort and acceptance of her life and her world and her place in it all. This is a picture of someone that is content and relaxed and someone that is enjoying herself and the moment at hand. This is all very good. I really like how the Canon captured all of this with the tattoo as well. I'll have to study it to see what I make of it all. Not that that matters : all that really matters is what it all means to her.
It's a great picture of her and I am pleased to have taken it without her feeling self-conscious and all. I hope that she likes it as much as I do. I also know that having shared my secret of taking this style of picture of her that I will probably never be able to do it again. Oh well, that's okay. I may try again : don't count that out, but I may never be as successful as I was here. So be it.
I like this picture because of the stark yet feminine and beautifully simply composition that shows the left arm that she wants to cover in tattoos. You see it here in it's virgin state and the next time it may have an image or two or three on it. It's an original picture as I was simply lucky to get what I did here.
And yet here's another piece of the puzzle in this last photo showing the front of her left arm " and voila it has a tattoo on it! It's just on the upper part of the front left arm and I like the vibrant splash of colors here as well.
So I hope that no one takes any offense to my baring of my thoughts and emotions, rational and irrational. I feel better, I feel as I have come to know a little more about myself here and that pleases me. Most of all I am happy to have a friend here in a very loose way that is another artist and kindred spirit and has taken her art in directions that I have only dreamed of and imagined and fear that I will never follow in. That's okay : I have gone in many daring directions all by myself following my art muse that amuses, teases and pleases and pushes me to distraction and agony and despair as well as utter joy and elation - usually one after the other after the other and then again following another till I finally drop off into a deep sleep from utter fatigue!
Cheers and here's to expressing oneself with their body as much as in any other way as well.
To the next chapter, TONY
P.S. This blog is meant in respect and admiration and appreciation - no offense is meant at all. Please take it in this spirit of an artistic soul exploring his artistic bends and folds and thoughts and everything else along this journey of life where I have met and got to talk and share bits and pieces here and there ...
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