Seeing what you hear

Most of our conversations so far have been by email. And there haven't been a lot of those - just the basic ones to make preliminary arrangements. But we both know the other has something we're interested in and intrigued with. I can tell that by the tone of the brief emails.  And the electronic message that came through yesterday was one I could have answered equally by email. It was regarding making arrangements to meet in the near future and have a drink and a chat and answer the many questions face to face over a pub table. She lives a good distance away and  its not an area I know, so I have to rely on her to recommend a place. But, although it could have all been sorted out through emails back and forth, I felt there was something better I could do.

 I could ring her. To make the arrangements.

What a novel idea! The telephone!

And better than that, she was in.

We started to chat, and agreed a day to meet that suited us both, and a time, and a place, but inbetween there were other snippets of conversations, about likes and dislikes, opinions, queries, inner strengths and weaknesses, and the possibility of things that may need some resolving. That's fine, that's part of what I need to know. I don't expect that my model is going to be plonked infront of me and I will draw her without any issues arising at all. If I wanted that, I'd draw still life!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Place bottle, and let it sit there until its drawn, no empathy with the subject matter, just a lifeless souless object placed on a cloth. But this is a human being we're talking about. A real person, living and breathing. With blood pumping through their veins, and thoughts rushing through their head. And if she's new to this experience, then it will seem strange to her, and she will have endless questions to ask. But this is part of the process, for me. I need to listen to her. I need to hear her thoughts. I need to know what she's thinking, what her issues are, what she is happy with, and concerned about. Because, that will give me the essence of her. It will show what she is, to me.

And all of this, is before we meet properly.

I've only met her once, briefly. But in that time I admired her outer beauty. And I knew then that I wanted to draw her. It was after we met that she agreed to pose for me, to be my muse.

So, when I see her the next time I will be looking at her with different eyes.
It will be with Artists eyes. And they look differently at things.
They look deeper, they look beyond the outer skin, beyond the superficial. They look within.

And all that information is considered. That knowledge is put together to make a whole. And that whole is then captured and put on paper. Well, that's what I'm hoping for. That's what my job is.  To paint what I see, and what I feel, and what I know. But at the moment, that information is picked up by ear.

I'm looking forward to meeting her again. It will be a social occasion, along with our accompanying men. But, something tells me, they won't get many words in edgeways.............................