Why draw from life

Della, drawing at the Grand Chaumiere atelier, Paris.

Della, drawing at the Grand Chaumiere Atelier, Paris.

“My natural impulse is to explore, question and absorb, to perceive what nature is showing us and to translate this using the intellect and emotion. Maybe because I have a Psychology background, I feel what we put on paper is a direct way for our cognition to connect to the outside, and for the outside to connect to us.

Therefore my basic tenet is to draw inspiration from life, and I mainly direct my awareness towards one vital and primary source; the individual, the human body. I am constantly and irresistibly drawn to the figure; either to study from works created by past masters, or purposeful representational observation of the live body. Drawing and re-drawing the human form – drawing what we are – to me is a primary act core to all art that seeks a connection to the natural principles. At its best, it is a record of an empathetic relationship; a memory of an exchange between the instigator and the inspirer.

But to embody this effectively is an immense challenge as this dialogue has many layers of awareness and learning. This is why, for me, my core focus is on the human figure. When these connections intensify and evolve in a reflective way, they inform with vitality, and a more truthful and emotive work emerges to illustrate the spirit and dignity of humanity. It is a life long journey.

He who realizes the truth of the body can then come to realize the truth of the universe.
A Ratnas, or Buddhist Siddhas teaching