21 | July | 2012 | BURGESSART

Portrait of a Beautiful Girl

In my recent blog Portrait of a Beautiful Girl a very insightful blogger posted the following comment ……….(thanks again John)

“Raw, immediate and courageously gestural – I can’t stop looking at this drawing…”

In replying to his comment it prompted me to think about what is beauty.

“You’re right to add courageously. I am reluctant to show such images as many will be shocked by them…including myself. But, as you know, as artists we must be true to whatever comes from within.
My way of understanding this is to think of a beautiful tree with colorful blossoms and elegant foliage for all to see. Below is an intricate roots system which to many may be considered ugly compared to what is above. But it is only our perception of beauty. It is all the same tree and and must be loved and appreciated as such.
All beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Below is a painting Under the Jacaranda 1903 by R. Godfrey Rivers Queensland Art Gallery Australia

Tree Roots

Further thoughts : We are all made up of many parts…some regarded as beautiful and others….well not so. But that is our perception based on what we have learnt – IT CAN CHANGE if we are open to it.
Different cultures have distinct ideas about what is beautiful and it can change over time.

Life is about CHANGE and the way we see the world……….the way we see and “feel” beauty!

Any comments welcome.