Working the last piece of the triptych
In 2003, (or was it 2004?), while attending Ft. Lewis College in Durango working towards my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I enrolled in a required class: Drawing I. (Now you are most likely thinking to yourself: hmmm….after 30+ years as an artist, Clarissa needs to take a drawing class?) Well…yes, because like I said, it’s a requirement towards my BFA. I learned a lot in that class and will not regret it because it introduced me to working in charcoal and I love it!
Total concentration and thorough enjoyment working in charcoal with the challenge of not getting filthy! - Notice Clarissa is wearing black...
After 8 years, I have finally returned to completing this project. My impetus was to have this triptych to show in Juneau at the Native Art Market during Celebration 2012, however, when I unwrapped it to hang in my booth, there were a few ripples in the paper – the mounting was not done correctly, either that or the change in weather (sunny and warm when I glued it down to cold and damp two weeks later when I unwrapped it!). So no one got to see this triptych; oh well!
Close up of the middle image - I refer to it affectionately as a stylized image of my son, Kahlil - the expression on his face reminds me of when he was a small child about 30 years ago
Clarissa's completed charcoal triptych
Each panel measures 11.5 inches wide by 17.5 inches tall. I recently pulled out the triptych thinking that I was going to figure out how to repair all the tiny ripples where the glue did not take – lo and behold, all three pieces were as it was when I initially wrapped them and there are no ripples whatsoever! What a relief, yet Hmmm….what happened? Can anyone tell me?