Artist Marie Brozova's recollections of her first public drawing event in Prague on the Old Town Square.
I did not select the Old Town Square for my first project The Defense of Colored Pencils by chance. The place that I chose for my drawing was only a few steps away from the crosses on the pavement marking the place of execution of the 27 protesting Czech noblemen, who were sent to death by the Austrian Hapsburg monarch ruling our country.
I could see the statue of Jan Hus, who did not recant his claims, not even when he was threatened by death. I must admit that nobody forced me to stop using my favorite colored pencils, not even the respectable art historians and other experts, who despise my colorful art. But still, I felt very clearly, that if I did not bring out my protest against disregarding colored pencils, the wide potential of this humble technique would stay unrevealed forever.
The Old Town Square greeted me warmly with the blue sky open wide on the first day of my public drawing, however, I felt a bit insecure. When you have an exhibition in a gallery, you can expect people interested in art, but what will be the reaction of average common people passing by? When you decide to put your head literally above the parapet, you must pluck up all your courage.
I was lucky – since the first day my public drawing met with a large positive response. And because the Prague center in summer becomes a tourist crossroads of all imaginable nationalities, I could hear the words of praise in many languages. My drawing titled "The Annual Ring in the Tree of Life" was attractive to school children as well as to well-traveled experienced tourists of advanced age. But one reaction among others was special; it became the symbol of meaning for my project.
In hustle and bustle of visitors gathered around my easel two teenage girls worked their way through the crowd. They informed me they had come from the United States and were traveling around Europe. And they wanted to give me a special present, because they liked my work.
I got a gay colored drawing of an angel obviously painted by a small child. The angel looked like a smiling ladybird in front of the yellow rape-seed field. But they explained that it was painted by their nineteen year old brother, Philip, who had been born with Down's syndrome.
When his friend fell seriously ill, he started to paint angels to help people all around the world. Philip’s deepest wish is to send his angels as far as it is possible. His sisters like to travel and they enjoy giving his angels to the people, who, in their opinion, can appreciate them.
I keep this drawing full of clear and undiluted love and joy above my bed, and whenever I feel, that I can no longer go on with my project, I think of Philip, who was endowed with so little, and managed to make so much of it. Philip’s angel reminds me with his broad smile that it is possible to find a space for self-fulfillment in every situation of your life.
VISIT MARIE BROZOVA’S VIRTUAL GALLERY
www.angels-fairies-unicorns.com,
where you’ll find both the drawings created during public events and in the studio.
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