MES: All The Other Ways

Of Assumptions and Truths

Written by: yellie_1927

Prompt by: Ninzwood

Feminist x Painter

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"My god Ed! You're drawing your French girls again! Il est trop tôt. Can you not?" I look up and eyed the girl who just ranted. Didn't notice her coming to my side looking at my sketchbook. Taking the seat in front of me, she continued. "Why do you always draw these girls nude?! Like they're fully clothe when you see them. Still you paint them completely undressed. You're 30 for pete's sake!"

It was Maymay, Marydale to some. My girl-friend... Friend who is a girl, that is. This black-haired, olive-skinned, doe-eyed beauty loudly ranting in front of me is my best friend. We were at our usual coffee shop sipping our daily shot of coffee before we start our morning routine. Local patrons of the shop just look on and smile at her. Perks of being the owner of this cozy coffee shop which backdrops the picturesque Eiffel Tower. Shaking my head from her comments, I continued with my sketch. I'll paint the girl in my studio later. Maymay looked back - to the girl I was drawing. It was a tourist, who for some reason was sipping wine this early. She rolled her eyes at me and said, "Six..."

"C'est pas vrai...Huit! Just look at her jawline." I answered back. It was our little inside joke we started doing from college. We rate random guys and girls we see from where ever. The girl across our table had a good jaw line which was made prominent as she drank her wine. I had to draw her, right there and then and as Maymay said, nude.

"Shush May! This is art. Besides she's not completely nude. She's wearing a turban, and her hair is covering her nips. See?" I showed her my sketch which was almost done. "You're such a prude! And what's with mentioning my age?"

I came to know Maymay back in college. She was the model in the art class I attended. I found her beauty alluring that I started painting her, albeit in a suggestive manner. At first the professor commended my piece and she gave points for improvement. But lastly she said that though my painting was the best in the class, she'd appreciate it if I refrain from painting her daughter suggestively for the next sessions. My heart just dropped at that moment. Turned out my arts professor was her mom but she just laughed and winked at me. After that class, Maymay ambushed me outside the room. I got an earful from her that day. She said her long piece on femininity and gender equality. And I think she also made an input on the history of female discrimination. After her stern verbal attacks she then smiled sweetly and introduced her self. I remember her parting words were, "Your work was the best in the class today. Let's be friends." Her sudden switch in personalities left me speechless that my mouth hung open in shock. She closed it and laughed and weirdly we did become friends, best friends at that.

"Excuse me, I'm not a prude! I just don't like this 'art' of yours. You're limiting women as models of nudity. We're more than that. I thought you're nude paintings were just a phase. I assumed by now, at our age, you'd be mature enough not to see women as just that."

She pointed at my sketch and I heard disappointment in her voice. I'm used to her criticisms when I do sketches like this. But I feel bad just the same. I hate it when she starts this tirade on her view on feminism. Don't get me wrong, I am also for equality of men and women. We are even supporters of LGBT. But sometimes our views clash. Painting girls in nude doesn't mean that I'm undermining their capabilities. I'm expressing women's raw beauty through my art.

"As I've said, ART." I said in a clipped voice, bummed out that she didn't give appreciation to my work.

I heard her sigh. "Edward John, I may not approve of this art. But you know I'm your number one supporter. I love your other works. Just not these ones. In fact, to show you my support and love of your other art pieces, I just arranged for an exhibit of your works in Magda Danysz Gallery! In a month's time though. Hope it's enough time for you to prepare. This is my birthday gift to you."