Wednesday, December 12, 2007

And She Shall Have Music






This day, I put in a bustle of horns.



As you see, I've been goofing with the other parts, but I've made no final decisions yet regarding the face.

I think the composition is getting a nice, vertiginous tilt to it. Balance, and in particular, the losing of balance has been an important topic for me this past year. What only a handful of people very close to me know (until now!) is that within weeks of Justin's birth I lost my balance. For good. At first I thought I was having a stroke, but after a CT scan and an MRI of my head revealed nothing (insert joke here), I was assured by my family doctor that I was having a bout of labyrinthitis and it would probably clear in a few weeks.
Well, here I am. Still, listing and tilting about. No one knows because I am able to control myself very well and use visual cues to right myself, and for accuracy's sake, I am not dizzy %100 of the time. But I do have it everyday. It made me very depressed and sometimes still does because I feel like I am not in full control of myself. If anything, this composition is to commemorate the in-folding of that rather troublesome new characteristic into my identity. And maybe glamorize it a bit, why not? Since it insists on staying, I'm going to put bells on it.

4 comments:

Niall young said...

I wondered if the tilt was a conscious thing..now I know. Is that what is known to me a 'Mennier's desease?(I'm sure of the spelling.)It must be awful especially when carrying the boys.

I like the way she's turning out..'the horny lady'!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

It may be Menniere's disease. I've never had a complete diagnosis. There are "balance centers" that specialize in that sort of thing, but they are far from me and the expense is prohibitive. From what I've read, there is little that can be done anyway. I have not lost any hearing, though, my hearing is exceptionally good, right now.

tlchang said...

Sorry about the 'tilting' (good friends of mine - mother/daughter - struggle with what they describe as 'vertigo' but sounds very much like what you are talking about. It is crazy making and depressingly debilitating if you are not careful. I am glad you are being so).

The painting is turning out lovely. The bottom parts that are more finished are gorgeous.

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

thanks, tlc!
And I meant to add yesterday in case anyone was concerned.- I haven't dropped the children!