I never know what inspiration a pose may evoke. It depends on the individual and the alchemy that ensues between myself and the person. Esteban was the model for my piece “Night.” I had been drawing him in various poses for over the course of a month, including a detail portrait of his face. This was the final session. As he turned his back to me and crouched on a low stool, I found his back as expressive as any portrait. I do not pretend to know the history, or even the personality of Esteban, but I had gotten to know him over many hours of observation and interpretation, as I worked away on a small scale and my mechanical pencils. Just then, his simple pose went beyond a typical life drawing and a world opened up to me - evoking history, the pandemic, and the human predicament. In the visual arts, words do not tell the story. Rather, it is the image that “speaks.” Thank you viewers for listening to the work, as well as my words. You are the link that connects the purpose of art, with understanding and my humble efforts. Thank you BIG DRAW, the Arvada Art Center and YOU for visiting the show and my piece “Night.”