Contrast Balance Harmony

Preface: The preface is the whole picture in this case. This evening I told my parents that I'm literally battling writer's block, horribly, and not because I don't have ideas. I don't have words yet. Then, they asked me what I'm supposed to blog about right now. I said, "a picture...with harmony and balance" and my dad said something like, "that's interesting you said those two words, that's exactly what they use to describe something something of a car, "the harmonic balancer is connected to the crankshaft to balance the engine to keep it running true". His version made sense, but I died, I was like oh my heck, my professor is enamored with cars so.. I was overjoyed at the connection. And then, my Momma started up. Oh Bette, I have the perfect picture for you to use. I kid you not she recommended a watercolor painting of HERSELF. My gracious, my jaw dropped. The gall of this woman, I was like Mom......
Okay, but we really do have a watercolor painting of her, and it is currently leaned up against the wall, but she has every intention to hang it in the entryway of our home. The entryway, it might as well be on our front door, or above the fireplace. It's the Mona Lisa of Santa Clara....
Lemme back up though, my Mom traveled to Paris last year. In the Bohemian district, Montmartre to be exact, on a street about a Kilometer from the Moulin Rouge, she had a street painter approach her. Peddling in Europe is constant, but in this particular area of Paris these 'starving artists' aren't starving artists, they have the right to set up where they are based on heritage and prestige and it's an honor for them to spend the day on the street painting. Local law enforcement doesn't try to shoo these painters away, and they don't haggle them for work/street permits. An artist touched my Mom's cheek and said, I have never seen this color before. My mom is Native American, this wasn't a line, he probably really never had seen her skin color before. He sat her down and started painting her, a crowd formed and everyone broke out in applause when he finished. He then took a photo of the painting, and said I have to make another one of these, I will replicate it best I can. He told her she had to have it framed in a black simple frame with white matting so it wouldn't take away from the portrait. Luckily, my dad frames photos in his spare time as a hobby, this man must of just known. After this discussion, my Mom tried to pay him for the painting and he kept refusing. Finally, my mom got him to accept forty euros and told him to go have a drink. He then painted my Mom's travel companion's son for one hundred euros.
I want brownie points so I'm choosing to appease my Momma and write about harmony on her face.

The curve of every line is so constant, and steady even. I love all the areas that are white, because my mind completes the portrait. Varying thin lines with thick bold strokes somehow look fluid. The watermark imperfections are my favorite element because they add to the balance by throwing it off, like the artist didn't try too hard, he just felt. His hand guided him, or his heart, instead of his brain trying to be precise. I really appreciate the imperfections because my Mom is flawless, it is incredible to see this portrayal of her face. Bottom line, my Mom is a vision through and through, exotic, ethnic, and regal. The blend of colors is so soft, and purposeful. I think you tell this artist is not American, there's something different in his craft and I'm envious of his skill. His dimension is unique, he captured where light falls genuinely. The law of closure helps my mind complete this portrait, I even knew what scarf my Mom was wearing before I saw all the behind the scene photos. The visual distinction in hue and contrast are stunning because of how well it all worked, and the knowledge that he did this in a short timeframe, on the street. Pretty special. And no worries, I'm going to like get some humble pie to my Mom ASAP or stat whichever you prefer.