This Friday at the Indiana Museum of Art (located on the Newfields Campus in Indianapolis) the Indiana Artists Club opens their Juried Exhibition.
My drawing, 'Sweet Sixteen' will be included in this exhibition. 'Sweet Sixteen' is a charcoal drawing exploring the transformation from girl to woman. Most girls (and boys too) notice a marked difference at this age. They are halfway through their teenage years, they feel they are on the brink of adulthood, and they are changing inside and out day by day.
I've always loved that sixteen is marked by this special title. It takes a vulnerable year, one that is full of adjustments, new privileges, budding confidence, and emerging maturity, and makes it something to be excited about and proud of. The title alone, 'Sweet Sixteen' makes you feel as though you are part of a special group of people experiencing similar problems and opportunities. It makes you feel a bit more grown-up, and suddenly you are among the ages of so many beloved characters from movies and books.
Olivia, my sister who modeled from life for this piece, had just turned sixteen when I drew this. Still struggling with insecurities and uncertain future, it is beautiful to watch her grow in self-assurance and develop her own ideas and opinions. She has figured out many of her strengths and is now beginning to figure out how she wants to use them. A whole world of potential lies ahead of her.