Here is another skill I
should have had grabbed if given the chance–the
ability to draw or paint a portrait. No, it is not just a portrait, but only adroit
and blessed human being has the ability to execute a beautiful art or a
breathtaking pictorial representation of a person. Unfortunately, I don’t
possess such talent. Yeah, right, a gift is a gift and it comes when you don’t ask
for it—it was never a choice. Collecting portraits isn’t my cup of tea though because
I prefer abstract sort of stuff. And so, having only two portraits (of my face)
which I’ve been keeping over the years justifies that. These were even unwanted
or, better still unexpected labor of artists I’ve met for real.
The first masterpiece looks
funny. The artist humorously entitled it “The Last Drawing I’ll Ever Do”.
He drew it while we were at the teacher’s lounge chatting. This artwork made my
day and still is until this time. Tim was a nineteen-year-old Australian
volunteer I co-teach with for three months in one of the non-profit schools in Cambodia
way back in 2010. I felt so honored to have known him even just a short time.
The second obra maestra was from a total stranger, a European guy who was
studying Vietnamese language at the same University I went to. It happened a year after the first portrait incident (laughing out loud). I was writing some
pages of my dissertation in my favorite coffee shop downtown Saigon when this
man approached me. “Do you mind if I draw your face?” he asked–he meant
a portrait. “It’s alright.” I said although a bit surprised. There it
went. That was the first and the last time I had seen him and the last portrait
of me since then.
P.S. Below are some of my close-up
photos. Do they really resemble? I will leave it to you to think of that.
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