As I was looking through stacks of old photos, thinking I needed to find a box for them, since I'd given my old box to my son to take with him to college, I can across a photo of that son with a bunch of his classmates in fifth grade, after going to Star Base, or whatever it was called, the program where they go and be introduced to making rockets and stuff like that.
These boys are all entwined...happy, silly, together after three days of this intensive program. As together as they are in this moment, they have no idea that they will all shoot off in completely different directions.
Of these boys, one of them dropped out of high school and was still smoking a lot of pot and living in his mom's house, one of them became a high school football star (he played violin in 6th grade and a whole bunch of girls chose it too just so they could do orchestra with him, and then he quit the next year) and may perhaps being playing football at some small university somewhere (he's nowhere near big enough to play at KU), one of them ended up in remedial classes in high school, and may still be there for a second senior year, one of them shot and killed someone in a drug-related robbery and is going to spend the rest of his life in jail, one of them nearly dropped out of high school when his older brother committed suicide, but was saved by art classes, one of them is a very very very nice boy who works hard and is kind to everyone, and the last one (my son) just spent an intensive first semester in college, writing 16 heavy-duty papers on ethics and political science. None of them were still friends with each other by the end of high school because they went such different ways. But then, if fifth grade, they were a group--the boys of the class.
The drawing is terrible, but I'm posting it anyway. I'm hoping the next one will be better. This one made me Really Sad.
Wonderful lines!Love it!Saw the last images about music,wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis drawing is NOT terrible, it is really, really poignant. It makes me sad, too.
ReplyDeleteI love this! Great technique and interesting, although sad, explanation. Great idea for the topic.
ReplyDeleteThe design is very solid, reminiscent of old masters who used highlighted faces in a group portrait to dance the viewer's eyes across the composition.
ReplyDeleteFor technique though, I really like the looseness and contrasting 'splodges' (contrasting with the cross hatch) in the portrait you posted next.
No no no, this is absolutely NOT a terrible drawing, it looks GREAT!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou captured the happy moment very well, I can hear their laughters just by looking at this drawing.:)
Plus, how wonderful it is to draw from an old photo that recalls some sweet,precious,and meaningful memories.:)
Oh, sad, lovely composition though.
ReplyDeleteGreat illustration. So very well executed!
ReplyDeleteVery nice drawing. It illustrates "entangled" well. The accompanying words are so sad.
ReplyDeleteSuch a thoughtful, rich take on the theme this week, and I agree with other comments on how this is in no way a terrible drawing - how bout you be a teeny bit gentler on judging your results? I know I could, sometimes!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Again, great line work. Such an excellent piece!
ReplyDeleteI don't know - I really like the style here - not too stiff or too overly concerned with a photographic sense of realism, which I find kind of boring in the work of some representational artists. Sad story about the kids though - geez!! Makes one feel fortunate to have gotten as far as you did.
ReplyDeleteHi Theresa - just stumbled upon your blog and started following! Like so many said above, this is absolutely NOT a terrible drawing it is beautifully done! Your technique and composition are great - you've really captured the essence of the message you're conveying. Story is sad....it makes you feel grateful for the stability in your children. I have two boys, one only 2 1/2 years away from college, we feel very lucky they are who they are. Well done!
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