Tim by Melanie Blackwell

‘Tim’
Oil on linen
2009 – present

‘This painting isn’t finished and I hope it never is. I keep doing work to it, and have exhibited it once already, but as this is documentation of my relationship with Tim – that is more that just artist and sitter, I would like it to remain an open book – something that I can change, refer back to and rely upon, as many great friends are.’ – Melanie Blackwell.

Blackwell began working with Tim over a year and a half ago. Tim has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, and approached Blackwell after he found an ad online looking for obese life models. Documenting began through a number of sittings in drawings and photographs, although sometimes unsure of the direction as to which the project was going, Melanie gained a wonderful friend in Tim and through their time together. This painting is the closest thing to a description of it.