Figures from my Past

Above are early firgure drawings of mine, the upper one  done in crayola crayons in 1967, the lower one done with acrylic paint, probably in 1970 or 71.
When I compare the restraint in the first one to the gestural quality in the second, I see how far I had come in just those few years in painting in working in moving toward an expressive mode. In part I was influenced by each medium in which I worked. In essence I was moving past the skills involved in drawing, using the paint to convey something of the flesh of this heavy model.

In the sketch below , I was able to transcend a simple image of  two figures, to go beyond and express the emotions of lovers entwined. It is also an early piece, drawn in graphite, painted with watercolor.

That's what I'm still hanging on to , the ability to surpass the basic drawing, to convey something more..... It's a need to pursue what happens after being able to draw it correctly....to be able to use the imagery as a tool of expression. To let it move beyond the correct drawing into a personal emotional statement. Yes, SOMETHING MORE!