Snap. . .

Kiawah Woman

While browsing a lovely, eclectic home store (GDC Home) at the Freshfields Village (at the crossroads of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns Islands) - right after Thanksgiving - my artist eye fell upon this regal woman,  sitting patiently near the check-out counter.  After shyly asking, she politely gave me permission to photograph her. . .that's always a delightful "happening" when people are so open and kind about being photographed. . .fully realizing they are fodder for some unknown, strange person claiming to be an artist!  Thank you Kiawah woman.

If you've kept up with my postings and work via this blog, you may have noticed that I love painting hands, and here this woman, lost in thought, gave me, quite by accident of pose, fabulous hands to paint!  This is one of my next paintings and I'm so looking forward to getting back in the studio.  Not to mention that wonderful blue in her jacket - the expression on her face - well, the whole enchilada really.  I was captivated by the scene and the light.  Considering my love of old English novels, Masterpiece Theatre, and period piece movies. . .well, her particular gravitas/dignity spoke volumes to me.  

I've decided I really like people's stories, and possess an intense curiosity about how others live.  I'm eager to hear about their daily lives and how they cope with what comes their way.  I'll never know this woman's story, and it will have to be enough to just paint her in that particular moment, the day after Thanksgiving, 2012.  Her thoughts will provide a mysterious backdrop to my painting process and fuel the fire of my usual romantic imagination - she may have simply been thinking "I shouldn't have had that piece of pecan pie," but I'll probably go the route of "Oh, I am longing for and missing my James."  Stay tuned. . .