The Beauty In A Brush Stroke

As Queen Marie mentioned in a post earlier this week, I was reminded of an oil painting I'd done for my Aunt when I was 15. It was a painting of a showjumping horse and its rider.

I was obsessed with painting horses back then. I found it incredibly challenging, trying to capture the light bouncing of every contour of muscle on the animal. I would go through canvases at a terrifying rate, splashing paint on them in a tantram when I just couldn't get the painting perfect. Thinking back, I was far too much of a perfectionist to really enjoy the process of creating art. I always saw the end result as evidence of my limitations and lack of true artistic talent. Occasionally, I have considered attempting to draw or paint again, but then I realise I'm still the same perfectionist as back then, with further depleted skills due to not drawing or painting since I was about 23.

Still, in spite of my own woeful lack of painting and drawing talent I can still look upon others', filled with admiration. I was recently contacted by Natalia Sanabria, a  fashion illustrator from Costa Rica, telling me about her stunning work. I can't say much more beyond that because her work is pretty self explanatory; she captures fashion moments, committing them beautifully to paint and pencil.

Her work is just magical. All these people  almost come to life on the page. Depth, colour and personality comes through with every delicate brush stroke.

This is real talent. My poor Aunty was diddled....

QMichelle