Gesture

Here it is, my first submission from an Xchanges artist to the forthcoming exhibition catalogue. It's from Joan Steacy. She calls it Gesture. Joan always has her conte pastel exactly the right shape, for perfect execution. She demonstrates gesture with a drawing that gives the illusion of being dashed off, but is actually the accumulation of many years of practice. Not only do the sweeps of conte-edge grab the essence of a pose in a couple of seconds; Joan then highlights the crucial parts with sharpened conte-tip to complete her zen-like statement. Note how the weight is perfectly distributed, through the shoulders, down the twist of the spine on to the left leg, while the right leg gestures from that position of strength. The axis of that posture is in the parts of the picture highlighted in dark pastel, from the left waist, through the hips and down the right leg. These limning gestures are then pointed up in line. The picture both illustrates a gesture (of the leg), and depicts it by gestures (of the hand).
This contribution is a fine start to the exhibition catalogue that I have been charged with producing, for which I have just half a dozen pictures at the moment. I'm hoping for at least thirty.
Joan is author of So That's That!, an illustrated memoir of life with her Dad, 'Junky Jack' Thornborrow. He raised her in a motor vehicle recycling plant, otherwise known as a junkyard, in which richly inventive environment she grew into a gifted illustrator and here. Joan is married to artist Ken Steacy, who runs kenspublishing.com, promoting the work of artists such as Ralph McQuarrie (copyrighted image).