When I permanently damaged the tendon in my right-hand index finger, which required surgery and in those days repairing a bone/tendon was in its infancy and most surgeons could not undertake the surgery, over 40 years ago I was devastated. A year prior I had inguinal hernia surgery, again most surgeons would not perform the surgery and now the hand that I threw footballs with. Shot basketballs with. Drew with etc. was irreparably damaged even after the surgery as was the area around the inguinal hernia. Both of these injuries were rare and individually and/or collectively adversely effected everything I excelled it was taken from me (or so I thought as did everyone else)
I had been blessed to excel in sports and art. My mother was a great artist and it seemed to easily flow unto the drawing paper from the pencil(s) she used. At around 5th grade I realized that I too had artistic talents. To make this post a summary I was President of the Art Club twice, was accepted and went to a prestigious Art School in Atlanta, and had a large portfolio of exceptional drawings. Many of which stayed at my Mothers home when I went off to college.
Through the years I have mourned the loss of many of my possessions including a very large 24×36 portrait drawing of my high school girlfriend. I had it framed, matted, and topped off with acid-resistant glass. I got many accolades about this drawing and when I gave it to her she was very happy. Her mother was speechless a memory I old till this day as sadly she recently passed away. Later on, her Father made a positive comment about it as it hung in a place of prominence in their home. Her parents I adored and have the utmost respect for them and my girlfriend’s brother Jay
I had reached out to their family, over a period of years, to ask if I could have a copy made as I considered it one of my favorites/best. Somehow my mother got it and had an 8×10 copy made and unknowingly she sent it to me recently and I was blown away to see it, even if it was dimensionally smaller, again and it brought back a lot of memories. Since my children have never seen this drawing, along with so many others, I opted to share it on this blog.
Note – I had to WATERMARK this drawing, as I have all my others, to protect my artwork from being “stolen” and/or used by others when in fact I created every line. Every shadow. Every highlight. Every eyelash. I am proud of this drawing and blessed that after these 40 years. BUT the scan does not do justice to the original nor my high school girlfriend but it does capture the overall drawing even though it appears here to be so much darker.
As always comments will be read and appreciated in confidentially
Take care and God bless you
Jeff Schrembs.
Jeff Schrembs 