Self Portrait IV

Nudity is not only pleasing on the eyes, it is also healthy for the soul.  It is an expression of appreciation for the greatest commodity each and every one of us have been given.  The body is the vessel that enables us to do all of the activities that we love to do.  I cherish having the ability to paint, to read a great book, to taste savorous food, to hold someone's hand, to dance to my heart's content, to take these pictures.  None of these things that make life worthwhile would be possible without the precision of our design.  Not in appearance, but in assembly my body is perfect-a product of insurmountable engineering genius.  I revel in the feeling of my muscles contracting as I climb a mountain side, how my fingertips can detect the slightest touch, and how my heart beat echoes in my ears when all else is still.  All of our bodies are nature's intended masterpieces and we should appreciate them as works of art.  

These two images are the final product for my self discovery series.  The image on the left powerfully expresses the love I have for this vessel that allows me to actively live my life.  This appreciation is celebrated through my outstretched expanse of movement.  In juxtaposition, the image on the right also incorporates expression through movement but evokes a much more calming feeling because of the more closed form.  I love the two separately but even more together because they reveal that dynamic nature of individuals that make us all so uniquely beautiful.  Just like our bodies, our minds are capable of a vast expanse of conditions and this too should always be acknowledged.  Nudity, both physically and emotionally, is essential for discovering, revealing, and appreciating our true selves.