Claudia Black

Claudia Black Instagram – #nofilter I came by this vision driving in my car and snapped this moment through the windshield. To the artist’s right, another artist on another cherry picker. To his right, tourists on the sidewalk below, taking selfies nestled in between a crudely painted pair of wings on a lower wall. I watched as people walked past the men painting. Were they seeing this? Was anyone sharing this moment with me? Two male artists up high, bathed in a God-like gold? I turned the corner, parked my car and walked briskly back to the wall and these men. Could I get a better picture? The light had faded, my heart pounding, the moment passed, and I needed to share it. “Excuse me,” I called up, smiling, shining to this man on the left. He was wearing ear buds though could hear me.”I don’t mean to disturb you from your work, I just wanted to show you something.” ” Sure,” he responded as he lowered the cherry picker down toward me. I held up my phone like a slightly shy child with my little offering- this moment I’d caught of him in glistening pixels. Embarrassed that I’d stopped his work, hoping it would be worth it, “I just wanted you to see this. People always take photos with those wings over there and they’re ignoring the magic right here.” “It doesn’t matter what we paint, they’re always looking at those wings.” “Well,” I replied,” not only are they missing out on what you’re painting, they missed this too. You are an artist and you are also the art. You ARE the art.”
He looked at me like,’o-key cray-zee’ I started to shuffle off and thought, I’ll still show the painter on the right, so I held up my picture to him again, this little child, as if my subtext was screaming, ” please look! Please see! I’m trying to show you how beautiful you are!” “Cool,” he nodded. I had somehow failed the attempted connection with these men. I couldn’t share what I’d yearned to with them. Though the beauty of that moment was dominating my heart space. I got some felafel and now share it with you. #citylife | Posted on 09/Feb/2018 22:44:09