He talks to all his subjects

As they sit in chairs for hours

Staring at one another

In intimate communion

He learns their darkest fears

And their hopes and dreams

And he hopes that he can capture that

In his pencil scratches.

I absolutely adore watching those shows where people paint portraits or landscapes, and if there is a competition element I enjoy it even more. You would think that watching someone paint is boring as hell, but there is something quite soothing about watching these shows.

But what really interests me is the relationship that is built up between painter and sitter. There is something very intimate about sitting face to face and studying someone so carefully for so long.

I find it interesting that some choose to just stare and explore, while others will happily chat away and build a more traditional friendship during their time together.

There was an artist called Marina Abramović, and although she didn’t paint, she did an exhibition where members of the public came and sat in front of her, silently. There was this magical bond that seemed to be formed between her and the sitter and it was quite emotional at times.

It just goes to show that we don’t need to have loads in common, or be physically intimate to create intimacy. Just being in each other’s presence will always be enough.

Much Love

Rachel xx