The Face Past First Impressions
At first glance of the painting Mend by Nathanial Mary Quinn, we’re drawn to the face of the portrait. The face, composed of multiple different bright colors, art mediums, and shapes, has a stark contrast in comparison to the dark, black background. No two pieces of this face look like they came from the same puzzle, each piece unique in its own way. When I see someone new for the first time, I lay my eyes on their face, attempting to read them, attempting to figure them out. I do this to figure out how I should act around them, what’s appropriate around them, and what’s not. But reading the face of the portrait Mend, I’m only reminded that there’s more to a person than first impressions. To really get to know a person, you have to study each little piece of them that has been mended together to make them the way they are. People are more than just their race, ethnicity, gender, and age. They are full of experiences, emotions, and stories to be told.
