Les Grotesques

Living in San Francisco, especially in this day and age, has made me more prone to, without any hesitation, snap pictures of interesting people. Not stalker-type, but just when the person makes me think: "Wow- they seem like they must have really had an interesting life." It really reminds me of the mentality Leonardo da Vinci's The Grotesques series... not so much because the people I'm randomly snapping are literally grotesque-- but because they're some of the most interesting people to look at and to draw.

It's such a fine line to draw and a fine distinction because someone might find it insulting- which is not the case whatsoever. If anything, I think it's an amazing thing-- getting me to stare and double take, be inspired and interested in. I think it's boring if someone looks so plain and vanilla... I'm happy that such a great master could appreciate the people who are different because they're different; someone has to. Exploitive? Not in the least. If I were to draw or to paint images of anyone, I want them to be off the wall and unique, wouldn't you? It's more fun and it's more... real. 

Not everyone is "beautiful", not everyone is pristine and like beautiful porcelain. The ones with rugged edges- the ones with cracks- they're the ones who will make the most interesting art.