This was probably one of the first pieces I have done where I used a reference photo for inspiration. I usually just use them for anatomy and perspective, but this time I stuck to the basic idea of the photo. (I still changed a lot tho, haha)
When we look at each other, all we see is their outward appearance. However, we are all much more than that. We are all more than the color of our skin. I am black, but I am also Cuban, American, African American, and Irish. I am more than my skin color.
This is the very first charcoal portrait I ever made. I think I spent about 25 hours on this piece over the course of a week. Portrait Model is a Japanese singer (Gackt) and a reference photo was used. Size is 18x24 inches.
I’m fascinated in how something may make you feel. For instance, I’m deeply moved by images of outer space from the Hubble space telescope, but I do not try to recreate those photographs in my work. What does not exist in those photos, is how they may make us feel. This is why you won’t see any “realism” in my art. When we send astronauts to space, they can discuss factually what is happening, but what truly moves human beings is when astronauts describe how they felt while they were there. So, I choose to express how I feel, as opposed to illustrate what I see.
The inspiration for this collection came from a conversation I had with the Founder and Executive Director of the Underprivileged And Underserved Foundation (UAUF), George Goodwine. While discussing race and whether or not every opportunity was fair based upon someone’s familial structure or “starting line,” I was asked the following questions. How does someone overcome these hurdles? How can the playing field be leveled to make things fairer, when others may only have 50 hurdles to overcome in the same competition?
My response was simple. “The person in front of 150 hurdles has two choices. They can either get discouraged before they begin, or start jumping. In the midst of the race they might get tired, unsure, or discouraged, but if they press on to the finish line they may become more physically fit than the person who jumps over 50.”
I used to dance ballet and at the time, there were a lot of hurdles I had to overcome solely based upon inconveniences that came with being raised in low-income, single parent home. Above are pencil sketches and sharpie drawings that I have drawn from actual photos. I plan on making these images my own by adding more abstraction and vibrant color to them.
Over the course of the project, stay tuned to see how these pictures will transform into a work of ART!!! Check out my artwork at theservingartist.com
gabizuniga.com | @gabizuniga - It's funny how a warmup did to take a break from my usual work turns into a piece I actually really like. This represents how I often need to take a break from my own overthinking to clear my head and function.
