Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Spring 2008 - (Page 13) Maddie and Grace, 2000, graphite on Arches Palatine, 44 x 30 inches, [Private Collection] I made this drawing of my granddaughter with her cat when she was about eight years old. I symbolically placed myself in the work by including a mahl stick standing in the corner of the room. It is a rod topped with a suede leather ball that artists use to steady their hand. The suede prevents damage to the canvas. Erin at Work II 2001, graphite on Arches Palatine, 44 x 30 inches, [Private Collection] I met Erin Wright when a friend recommended her to me as an excellent life model for a drawing group that worked at my studio. She had just graduated from LSU with a BFA and was applying to graduate schools. She also modeled at the Academy and worked for me scanning photos to my computer. That summer I asked her if she would work with me privately for a combination of pay and drawings. She worked for free: “I can learn more watching you than in class” she told me. This drawing is one I produced with her along with several others. She was one of the most enthusiastic young people I’ve known. She was accepted to Brooklyn College and obtained her MFA. In June of 2004 while at school in New Platz, New York earning her teaching certification, she fell ill and succumbed to Wilson’s Disease. She was 27 years. It was a shattering loss. These drawings now have a very special meaning. 13
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