Meet my friend, Ellis.
Masterful writer and wordsmith, often admired, although sometimes misunderstood.
For many years, I have studied his face through the eyes of an artist, mesmerized by his wonderful cheekbones, flowing beard, and peaceful aura. I continually wondered where his endless peace stemmed from. One day I mustered up the courage to ask: “How is it that you're always so peaceful, Ellis?" He emphatically replied: “I meditate.” Right then and there I decided I had to paint him, to capture his essence and share it with others.
He walked into my studio wearing his favorite, comfy t-shirt and we bonded as he warmly shared a bag of treasures. Healing crystals and prayer beads neatly wrapped in cloth came tumbling out of the bag; each a remembrance of places traveled and joyful moments shared. I thought to myself, how could anyone label this man anything other than serene, loving, and kind?
During our talk, to my surprise, he shared that as a young man he felt labeled as “Not good enough and beneath others… both socially and economically.” His family didn’t have a lot of resources and he still feels this stigma today. I felt a strong connection to him since I'd had a similar upbringing.
One of our most persistent societal stereotypes is that the poor are unmotivated or don’t want to help themselves. However, Ellis and I are evidence that's not always true. His family and mine instilled in us that life is what you make of it. Through education, hard work, and encouragement from his parents, Ellis flourished.
Masterful writer and wordsmith, often admired, although sometimes misunderstood.
For many years, I have studied his face through the eyes of an artist, mesmerized by his wonderful cheekbones, flowing beard, and peaceful aura. I continually wondered where his endless peace stemmed from. One day I mustered up the courage to ask: “How is it that you're always so peaceful, Ellis?" He emphatically replied: “I meditate.” Right then and there I decided I had to paint him, to capture his essence and share it with others.
He walked into my studio wearing his favorite, comfy t-shirt and we bonded as he warmly shared a bag of treasures. Healing crystals and prayer beads neatly wrapped in cloth came tumbling out of the bag; each a remembrance of places traveled and joyful moments shared. I thought to myself, how could anyone label this man anything other than serene, loving, and kind?
During our talk, to my surprise, he shared that as a young man he felt labeled as “Not good enough and beneath others… both socially and economically.” His family didn’t have a lot of resources and he still feels this stigma today. I felt a strong connection to him since I'd had a similar upbringing.
One of our most persistent societal stereotypes is that the poor are unmotivated or don’t want to help themselves. However, Ellis and I are evidence that's not always true. His family and mine instilled in us that life is what you make of it. Through education, hard work, and encouragement from his parents, Ellis flourished.