A Story About Wilmer
As an art student there was a time in my life that I was drawn to paint a series of portraits of one particular subject: a man named Wilmer. He was a neighbor of mine who lived a few houses down the street. Wilmer spoke slowly and his clothes were disheveled. I suppose he had limited education, appeared disabled, and lived off of Social Security income. Wilmer often wandered the streets of our small town, a lone soul. Occasionally, he worked as a gardener for another neighbor planting flowers, vegetables, and maintaining a clean yard.
Strangely, I myself could identify with Wilmer because behind his humble facade, I saw someone struggling alone with similar longings. I sensed that we both wanted to find a sense of self-worth, longing for dignity and respect. One day in the local park, I asked Wilmer to model for me. This portrait, In The Park, was the beginning of a creative process. Exploring color and composition became expressive of my intention to capture an essence of who the man before me truly was. Through this process I connected with Wilmer, allowing me to visualize the love, tenderness, and dignity about him that I wanted to express for all to see.
Eventually, Wilmer showed me a song he had written shortly after his mother passed away. The song told a story of not only love, but of his desire to be loved. His dignity and passion reminded me of the late Vincent VanGogh. I ended up painting a small portrait of Wilmer, that of which he hung up on his apartment wall. Another day, Wilmer showed me a verse he had written expressing the following sentiments:
God Bless Everyone in the World Friend and foe.
Wilmer came to my apartment for the third portrait in the series, The Gardener. I thought of him as a gardener in the literal sense as well as in the metaphorical. There were a multitude of qualities that I struggled to capture in my vision of this individual. On my canvas, I searched for ways to pour out the feelings that I had experienced in our relationship. In our small town everybody knew Wilmer to be a gentle soul, much akin to a gardener who spread seeds of kindness to all.
For the last painting in the series, Dignity, Wilmer came to my apartment once more. As I opened the door to greet him, I was pleasantly surprised to discover him well groomed and in his finest Sunday suit. I was certain that he felt as exceptional as he appeared. The chosen colors of the painting, a mixture of vibrant and muted blues, oranges, browns, and rust, expressed a strong yet calm composure. When exploring the paint and canvas, I made sure to capture the essence of Wilmer’s love, tenderness, and dignity. I believe that we helped each other as if we were mirrors for one another. Wilmer allowed me to reflect on the qualities which I possessed, while my compassion for him allowed him to reflect on his lonely outlook on life.
Tragically one evening, as he was taking his usual walk around the town, Wilmer was struck by a van and passed away. The portrait series of Wilmer acts as a reminder that he is not and will not be forgotten.
