Throughout the summer of 1961 and for several years after that, my daily routine involved hopping on the bus, pad of paper and drawing pencils in hand, and heading for Bradford Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. Each day I would draw approximately twelve people, posing one at a time, before taking the return trip home. I am indebted for those who were willing to sacrifice part of their day at the beach for my development as an artist. On one occasion an Italian man, not knowing much English, tried to relate to me that my renderings had “espressione.” He perceived that they conveyed something deeper than an answer to the simple question, “Who is it?”
When you experience a penetrating expression that deeply touches you, then you are starting to know the soul-moving element that warms the heart. This is one such portrait. The explosion of cherry blossoms is vibrant, yet subdued, behind the subject’s head, except for the few which she holds in her hand with some buds yet to bloom. The elaborately pleated sleeves and the bonnet are complex, as well as her curly blonde hair. The self-embracing hands, adorned with a golden butterfly ring, add to the emotional content, but the focal point is her face that shows deep emotions that surpass expression.
The barren tree to the left is a relic of the past winter, while the flourish of the five petaled cherry blossoms is a symbol of rebirth. Barb was spiritually reborn through prayer during her time with my wife and me. I chose these verses from the Song of Songs 2:12-13 since they fit the painting so well. “The flowers have already appeared in the land . . . the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance . . . Arise and come along.”
