In Your Eyes (Grandpa)
by Eileen Munoz
Grandpa is a charcoal piece I drew of my grandfather, Jose, on my father's side. I only knew him a few years when I was a child but he was the only grandpa I ever met; which makes the time I spent with him precious. Especially so after my father passed away. Because it was made with charcoal and graphite my fingerprints and (quite literally) my sweat are within the work--thus putting a bit of myself within the image of my grandfather. Now when I see the artwork I can see both my grandfather and father in his visage. The portrait has held different meanings throughout my life. A special homage to an ancestor, the longing to know more about my grandfather/family/culture, and now a new sense of bittersweet loss in his resemblance to my dad.
Artist Bio
My name is Eileen Munoz. I am a student at the University of the Incarnate Word as a Communication Arts major. I will be graduating from my university in the fall of 2024. For my visual art submission, I present a charcoal piece I drew of my grandfather on my father's side, Jose Munoz. I only knew him a few years when I was a child but he was the only grandpa I ever met; which makes the time I spent with him precious. Especially so after my father passed away. Now when I see the artwork I can see both my grandfather and father in his visage. The portrait has held different meanings throughout my life. A special homage to an ancestor, the longing to know more about my grandfather, and now a new sense of bittersweet loss in his resemblance to my dad.