The Man in the Tunnel on Day 27 of 100 Faces in 100 days

Today I was up at 5:30 am getting started on this painting of a man. I think this process is teaching me a great deal about trusting myself and the process. When I relax it all just seems to happen. At some point I have to stop.
Sometimes all it takes is the subtly of single stroke of paint. I don't even mind it is off just a tad. Some times just one highlight can make all the difference. I love painting.. i think I could do it all day.

His look is pensive....contemplative. Reminds me of a time we went to Switzerland on one of yearly travels to the US. We went there to meet with some friends of my parents. They lived in Geneva. We stayed in a Swiss Chalet nearby. It was on a lake and near the Chateau de Chillon. The beds in our room were mattresses filled with feathers and the covers down comforters. It was the most delightful sleeping I can ever remember.  We were within walking distance to our friends home which was in a tall building. There was a bridge to walk over or you could go down some stairs and be near the lake and into a tunnel that went under the bridge over to the other side. I have an older brother and a younger sister. There is one thing about having an older brother that is close in age, it's rivalry. I could do anything he could do, or at least I was going to try really hard too. In the few days that we were in Geneva we had walked to our friends home both ways, over or under the bridge with my parents several times. Always uneventful excursions to and from. My parents never really let us out of their site when we were traveling but how bad could it be to run from one side of a bridge to another in a minute or less? Somewhere along the way the challenge was thrown down to see who could make the distance faster. I went under the bridge my brother was going over. I got to the bottom of the stairs and I quickly scanned the area as I was lunging off the bottom step and there were some young men standing near the lake, I was running and I took off into the tunnel which was not too long but suddenly it became longer then even I cared it to be. I heard the footsteps of someone running behind me and I turned to look and it was the men. I remember thinking they were cute or handsome but I wasn't happy they were chasing me. I was afraid. My feet ran as fast as I could make them go and in an instant I was in the light of the morning sun and my parents were there and my brother had already passed .. laughing and happy he had beat me .. I was panting from the breathless frightening run. The boys/men chasing me came out walking as if they had not ever been running. I was near my parents then. I reached up and took my dad's hand and I never did say what happened. I looked back to where they were and they going back into the tunnel. Gone. I never went in the tunnel by myself again. I think they were just playing but that's what the mind of an innocent ten year old would probably think.

If you want these penetrating eyes hanging on your wall .. email me at iwilldream4ever@aol.com. This was painted with acrylic paint on sewn wrapping paper and an envelope with Christmas stamp and a letter I wrote to my mom when they were living in Korea. I was married with children so I had a lot to say. Interesting to read my own words after 33 years. Strange really. Somewhat eye opening. Thanks again for following my journey .. I have to say I'm delighted with today's painting and this project. See you tomorrow. Peace out.