Portrait of a Stranger (Miele) by Melody Nathan, 2022
I found Miele at a birthday party. She was sitting nearby on the swings as I talked with the local high school Spanish teacher. I was trying to explain how I make these drawings in Spanish and Miele happened to be nearby. At the end of the party, I realized I had all these strangers around me and hadn't asked anyone if I could draw them! I went to Miele and offered some more information about what I was hoping to make, she said yes. She told me about how she is trying to learn Spanish and was trying to listen to what I was saying. We talked about our mutual mom-ship and I felt really connected to her. It was really great to meet a new friend that day.
A time-lapse of all the marks and moments it took to make this portrait is available below. Enjoy!