[Paintings from the Street] John

[Nigel Cox]

John came along to help me with the photo-shoot of The Irrepressibles (See blogs below). I was using a new camera and trying out a remotely triggered flash unit to get extreme lighting/shading effects and needed an extra pair of hands.

As I was setting up, I snapped a few pictures of John just to check the light levels. The results were astounding . . . with a depth of emotion showing through in the photographs, which caught John at a vulnerable time, took me totally by surprise.

I printed my favourite photograph and put it on my inspiration wall where it hung for over a year and was much admired by friends and visitors to my studio. I knew I would paint it one day.

I started the painting when we found out John had cancer. One part of me wanted to capture him in this vulnerable state with this depth of emotion, in case the outcome was not what we were hoping for. The rest of me wanted to make John feel good about himself with this long and personal project for us to focus on. I somehow felt that as long as I was painting him, everything would be all right. It seemed to buoy John up too.

A year down the line and John is 100% . . . the cancer is gone and his portrait is finished.

This has been a labour of love and a huge emotional challenge for me. Looking at the painting of John stirs up feelings of sadness and loss. . . but it also gives me so much joy and hope.

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Posted By Nigel Cox to Paintings from the Street on 4/07/2010 12:25:00 PM

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