It was so refreshing to read the article in the May 11, 2018 Edmonton Journal by Aleesha Harris entitled “A New Attitude”. Much of the article is surrounding the celebrity of Maxime Poulin, an international beauty expert, and his insights into ageing skin. He feels it is high time to accept our wrinkles AND the responsibility for taking care of our skin.
From a visual standpoint, I can say that painting aged skin is very challenging. Watercolour is the perfect medium for this. I relish the process of applying translucent washes of colour to get the effect I seek. Too many washes and/or too much pigment and I get a muddy look that detracts from the inner glow that I try to capture.
More recently, I have added a layer of rice paper that I feel creates a more authentic display of a complex visual and philosophical challenge; the ageing human skin. Hmmmm….maybe not philosophical….anthropological…anatomical? Whatever, it is mind-boggling!
And the lines are heavenly; meandering, asymmetrical and often unpredictable.
Could all this aesthetic vocabulary be metaphorical for a life well spent?
Let’s embrace ‘the new attitude’