nadïne lafond

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THE DRAWING ROOM

about this collection

Since I can remember, I was drawing. Any blank sheet of paper that was available would eventually receive my mark. Between 9 - 12 years old, faces and figures were the most important subjects for me, usually inspired by religious stories, fashion magazines, family members and interesting people I saw in everyday life but mostly imagination. It was important to me that I created my own characters, like a writer.

By around age 13, my brother started giving me beautiful museum quality art books with glossy color plates featuring the works of Leonardo da Vinci (HUGE influence in those days) and Auguste Renoir. Later, I became aware of the Harlem Renaissance artists like Aaron Douglas and Augusta Savage (care of my amazing high school art teacher, Mrs. Irene Mayson, who respected me and took my work seriously), started listening to Jazz and studied the ancient sculpture of Benin, Africa; Greece and Rome, which made lasting impressions. I focused obsessively on classical approaches to art practice including hours upon hours of drawing sessions, studies of the face, hands and form; working with models by age 17; met my mentor, American sculptor, Hélène Massey Hemmans and poured over books about and discussion on art and artists. Nothing else mattered; I was a TOTAL romantic.

The delicate light in the eye, every strand of hair, the shadows that softly shape the face were my facination. It was all about graphite, charcoal, color pencil and the occassional pen and ink but painting never really made an appearence then. It seems strange now, given the many paintings I deeply loved and kept around always, that I just didn't bother to pick up a brush. I was SO committed to drawing, I just didn't see anything else until I went away to school and was commissioned, at age 19, by a fellow student who wanted a portrait in oil as a gift to her Mom. Getting familiar with the medium was quick though a bit clunky at first but I simply translated my drawing style to paint and that was that. Then an adjunct professor introduced me to Frida Kahlo and something began to change but I wouldn't see it for a few years.

Much experimentation came after that, including the eventual fading away of the face and figure, by around 1999, to something the equavilent of cave paintings; just the basic shapes and story. Of course, I could have done whatever I wanted but the art itself was taking me somewhere completely different and I had to let go of my beginnings, all the detail and romance of classical drawing, in trust of these abstract shapes, colors and movement, which lasted about 10 years until ReBirthing Kiskeya".

Now, the faces and figures have returned and with a decade of life and lessons. Revisiting the passion that lead me as a young artist reminds me of the joy that comes with being completely present in the moment; nothing mattered but that one little drawing. That same energy now informs me with a fresh new perspective. I have no idea what's coming but excited to see what happens next.