Sean MacBride Portrait - December 2002
This face represents the dream of every person who appreciates exactly what the pencil is capable of creating. On a physical level, the face of Sean MacBride in old age is saturated with details. It is a collection of crevasses, contours, chasms, meandering lines and dramatic incidents of pure white collapsing determinedly into bleak darkness. These areas of activity combine to represent a man and a mind of deep reflection and of many experiences over a vast period of time. Compensating for an aged and tired face, it is clear from his deep-set eyes that there is a large repository of memories, feelings and thoughts that are as alive as they were at any other time in his long life.
The journey that was undertaken, from the first dot that was placed by the pencil on the page to the last one, was at times clear and at times confusing. The many lines that comprise the face acted as a map for my pencil, and each turn and advancement was guided by a set of straightforward rules. These rules could not be deviated from under any circumstances. Since the construction process was all relative to that which was already built, a misguided line on the page could have had drastic consequences for the future of the venture, and only when this venture was at a much further stage of advancement would this become clear. Therefore, throughout the long journey of construction, there was always an element of suspense and a certain degree of tension running from the realisation that around the next corner, there was a possibility that I would discover a monumental and disastrous error, the consequences of which would be too great and many to remedy. Not until the safe haven of home – the final detail – was materialised by the pencil, could that suspense begin to dissipate. Until that point was reached, there was no let-up from the journey. Even when the sketch-pad was put down, it was still there - an unfinished venture where the mind was trapped in a complex maze of lines. Still, when that maze had finally been navigated through successfully and the portrait had been fully constructed, the tension remained shortly into the aftermath, as I was still caught up in the process and was unable to cast a cold, objective opinion of the venture until later. Whilst that opinion remained to be determined, the uncertainty as to the form that it would take translated into real anxiety.
The process itself was a challenge, where apparent certainty and clarity were often overshadowed by subjective blindness and suspense. However, this challenge, once got through, resulted in a certain satisfaction and immense relief when the constant threats of disaster were never actually realised.
This face represents the dream of every person who appreciates exactly what the pencil is capable of creating. On a physical level, the face of Sean MacBride in old age is saturated with details. It is a collection of crevasses, contours, chasms, meandering lines and dramatic incidents of pure white collapsing determinedly into bleak darkness. These areas of activity combine to represent a man and a mind of deep reflection and of many experiences over a vast period of time. Compensating for an aged and tired face, it is clear from his deep-set eyes that there is a large repository of memories, feelings and thoughts that are as alive as they were at any other time in his long life.
The journey that was undertaken, from the first dot that was placed by the pencil on the page to the last one, was at times clear and at times confusing. The many lines that comprise the face acted as a map for my pencil, and each turn and advancement was guided by a set of straightforward rules. These rules could not be deviated from under any circumstances. Since the construction process was all relative to that which was already built, a misguided line on the page could have had drastic consequences for the future of the venture, and only when this venture was at a much further stage of advancement would this become clear. Therefore, throughout the long journey of construction, there was always an element of suspense and a certain degree of tension running from the realisation that around the next corner, there was a possibility that I would discover a monumental and disastrous error, the consequences of which would be too great and many to remedy. Not until the safe haven of home – the final detail – was materialised by the pencil, could that suspense begin to dissipate. Until that point was reached, there was no let-up from the journey. Even when the sketch-pad was put down, it was still there - an unfinished venture where the mind was trapped in a complex maze of lines. Still, when that maze had finally been navigated through successfully and the portrait had been fully constructed, the tension remained shortly into the aftermath, as I was still caught up in the process and was unable to cast a cold, objective opinion of the venture until later. Whilst that opinion remained to be determined, the uncertainty as to the form that it would take translated into real anxiety.
The process itself was a challenge, where apparent certainty and clarity were often overshadowed by subjective blindness and suspense. However, this challenge, once got through, resulted in a certain satisfaction and immense relief when the constant threats of disaster were never actually realised.
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