It Comes From Within Art Journal Page and 29 Faces Day 3

I think a lot about beauty....what it means, how it is obtained, how we are taken aback by it. Words about beauty have flowed from me before, as if they were released to make room for meaning, but with each passing day the concept of beauty morphs into something different for me. This art journal page captured my conundrum with the African Masks marking how that culture perceived beauty, with an intuitive contour sketch of how I mark beauty, and with the written word explaining my understanding of it. Regardless of the outward look in the human form, to me, beauty comes from within, as a product of strength and grace. 

Artists tended to either try and capture it within a form, dissect it apart, or destroy it in an effort to shatter our constructs about it. I simply wanted to give it some space today, to capture the flowing line of the face, the beautiful contour marks, and to let go of the illusion that perfection creates it. 

The color palette is odd for me, as is the mood, but I like that. I like that I stepped out of my ordinary into a place where my spirit needed to go, beautiful or not. 

This serves as my day 3 of 29 faces. I am so enjoying that journey and seeking to experience the essence of the face rather than the ability to sketch a realistic one.