Reemerging
Somewhere during the lockdowns, we were able to get a breather, even for a short period of time. It was during a Saturday morning that we were finally able to meet with my 80+ year old mother. We whisked her off to a local museum. A friend of mine was the curator of the exhibit. It was the opening event. We had to sign up, take masks and keep our distance. We were all so grateful to be able to meet and chat face to face. I still wasn’t made redundant, but I was at home, drawing all the time. I was beginning to realize that this is what I want to do. I really did not miss the classroom or my students. I really missed the paper and colors. I still hadn’t admitted or committed to myself going back to being a full-fledged artist.
My curator friend asked how I was holding up. I think I surprised her and myself by saying “great”. I was totally enjoying myself despite the dire straits that we all were in. I proceeded to tell her what I was up to. I then told her that I think I will draw my biography in scroll fashion. From that moment on, I cannot recollect the rest of the exhibit. My mind was planning the scroll.
It is first of the rectangular series. Colored pencils and ink on brown construction paper, as if I was “checking the waters”. I loved the outcome so I continued with a few more works in the same fashion, though definitely not the same subject. This work is autobiographical; dreams, memories, places and fantasy intertwined. It more than anything symbolizes my reemergence into the art world after decades of little or no art. It was the beginning of finding my visual vocabulary and language. It was committing. It was sharing. It was story telling. It was being professional.
All the works on this blog are Printable and for sale. They are Barbara Adler originals. I love talking about my art and almost any subject related, so feel free to DM to converse and purchase my art, making it yours.
You can follow my process and progress on: Instagram.com/barbara_adler_art