Practice Makes Progress

Sharing these photos of my drawing projects of the cast of San Benedetto by 16th century sculptor Orfeo Boselli. The drawing in charcoal (left) was done in March 2015 while the one in oil (right) was completed in January 2023. When I was asked to choose my final cast project for the Academy last year, I was instantly drawn to this work by Boselli. Not only because San Benedetto is known as the protector of souls from this world’s dark forces, but also because I wanted to measure my own progress in drawing with charcoal and paint over the last 8 years.

What a journey it has been, traversing from being a hobbyist at drawing and painting to being a full-time student and professional painter. Life in the Academy is a tapestry of learning the technical, cognitive, spiritual and emotional skills for a sustainable artistic practice.

After I started working on San Benedetto in 2022, I learned that the cast had not been drawn in a long time. In fact, there is a drawing of it by one of the Academy’s former students, it hangs on the walls of the small corridor that leads to the cast room where I work. It is a magnificent drawing in charcoal, rendered by none other than my teacher, Jered Woznicki. Walking past Jered’s drawing every day before my day’s work on the cast and then at day’s end on my way home, gave me mixed feelings. I was happy to literally follow in the footsteps of my teacher but also intimidated and unsure if I could finish my project well. My charcoal drawing in 2015 took 2 weeks to bring to that level of finish but it took me approximately 17 weeks to finish this painting, many of them stretching my patience to unprecedented frontiers. There were times when I had to repaint sections of the face because they were too far right or too far left, never mind if the entire face had already been mapped out and well advanced in the painting process. When my teacher said that we were wrapping up the project I spent day after day after day softening edges until they were soft enough. So near and yet so far is my familiar feeling in the studio, but especially when I was finishing this painting.

I learned to trust that Jered’s objective, expert eye was sharper than my exhausted, inexperienced pair. In trusting my teacher, I learned to accept my weakness and the gift of his guidance in building discipline into my practice. I also thought of what great patience it took from him to redirect me every time I lost my way but I was completely unaware of it. His words are firm but never unkind. There is hope for me, I often remind myself, as long as I can surrender to the discipline and the work aimed at becoming better, more skilled in drawing.

Between using charcoal and oil paint, and sight size in drawing over the last eight years, I have indeed progressed. But also, there is more. No longer a hobby, art is now my profession, a commitment to be faithful to this path I have chosen in life. It is very much like love; you give it your best and understand that the outcome will not be perfect but absolutely worth it. Perhaps this tapestry represents more than a pattern for a sustainable practice, rather it is a woven design of gifts that fuel and adorn a life.

Let the week ahead find us ready to discover our gifts!

#thepainterwhowrites

#fromthelandofmaitri