The Weight Upon One Shoulder

I spent this entire session focussing on one small part of the figure, the shoulder.

If you want to walk across the room you have to begin with one single step. But what if, that step is very difficult for you? You would have to focus hard on taking that one step. You start by lifting your leg, but take your time. You have to check your balance, you don’t want to fall, so you move deliberately, slowly. Eventually with effort you move your foot across the floor and place it down. At last, gently you rest your weight on that leg testing for stability, and ever so gradually, you’re done, you’re now one single step closer to your destination. With an exhale of breadth you look at where you are now. You’ve accomplished what would seem very easy for anyone else, yet it took all your effort to get it right. All of your focus went into that one single act and you accomplished it with the best of your ability.

This is art. But one single step is not a whole painting, not by far. The one single step that takes all your effort and focus could be just a brush stroke, or ,in the case of today’s session, the rendering of a shoulder.

Do I make this analogy to point out what a horrendously long journey the mastery of art is? No, I just want to remind myself and anyone else the complexity and importance of each part of the process. This is an urge to slow down and revel in the huge accomplishment of one single step.