Pictures from this year's High School Prom. I like them. I feel real comfortable at this Prom because I've been going here for almost ten years. Lol ~ that's a long time to be in High School :-)

You know ~ I've been drawing at this Prom every year as an Adult.

Some pictures from a Post Prom where I drew this year. A High School Post Prom.

I had an interesting experience at this Party. Got me a-thinking. But then, getting nowhere besides the curiosity, I just dropped it. There is no answer. It just is. We all float through life experiencing.

One lovely girl, a beautiful girl who spoke quite well ~ She spoke with another girl while I was drawing her. The conversation went something like this:

The girl I am writing about "Wanna hang?"

The other girl "I can't . I have to meet up with __________. He's waiting for me at the table."

The girl I am writing about "Okay. I don't know why I always end up doing stuff alone."

and that conversation was echoed by something that one of the Adults at the Party said also. About himself. But I don't remember just what it was that he said.

and there I was ~ working the gig alone. Well, to be fair, most places do order just one Artist. And this place ordered just one Artist at the very last minute. When they had collected just enough money to pay for just one artist. So I'm frequently alone at Parties. If I couldn't go places alone, I couldn't have become the successful Party Artist that I am.

Sometimes my life involves being with other people. And sometimes I do stuff alone. It's easier to get to do a lot of stuff that way. It's easier to find people who are interested in the things that I actually Want to do.

But the girl's conversation made me think about the good advice that most schools give ~ Advice to come to the beautiful events even if you're alone. That we don't Need a date to partake of the good events that the schools provide for us.

It's a good thing to learn. It's the best way to be. To have a full life with many activities even if we don't get it together with someone else. Sometimes it just takes too much exhausting effort to do stuff 'together'. But sometimes, we do have the time. But we're just left out ~ nobody else has the space/time in their lives to even notice us. That feels bad.

But if we therefore didn't do what we wanted to do, if we therefore didn't go to the Party, we could pretend that it's not really happening. We might say that we're fine about not going. But our subconscious doesn't forget that we really wanted to be included. People like to feel included.

It's not our fault if other people are already busy when we want connection. The School's advice ~ to come anyway ~ is the best advice. The school was set up with lovely decorations and fun activities. She was one of the group who went there. She had a chance to find someone who cared about her. Might even have ended the night with a caring Love that is more meaningful than if she came with an easy-friend, afraid to walk through the negative emotions that we all have sometimes. It's when we're really down that we have the biggest opportunity for joy.

What good is sitting alone in your room?

Following are some pictures where my client gave me carte-blanche ~ didn't mention how/what she wanted me to draw. So I did Faces Only. Primarily Black/White. To draw as many people at the Prom as possible. I drew 12 faces per hour. When the picture felt finished with just the face, I moved on to the next Guest. When my picture needed it, I pulled ideas from the Party Theme (Basic Prom) or what was being said by the guests.

I recommend estimating 10 pictures per hour. No telling what will affect the performance. But it's been pretty regular these days that I draw 12 per hour when left on my own like this. And pretty regular these days that I only draw 8 pictures per hour when clients Require Body/Hobby, Theme, or Color to be included on Each Picture. I feel like Clients who ask for less got more. More pictures And a Smoother Happier Party. Just my opinion. Do you agree?