Balanced Binaries

I drew this piece as a gift for my boyfriend, Eric, in the summer of 2009. The piece was done with graphite pencils and colored pencils on white paper. I used my usual drawing style and tweaked it just a little by adding a little more detail to the facial features then I usually do. This drawing is very thematic for the both of us. When I was drawing this picture, I had a general direction I wanted to go with it. Thus, I let myself draw and the picture started to work out its own glitches as I continued.

In the drawing there is a female to the left, who is suppose to be me, and a male to the right, who is suppose to be Eric, that are looking at one another. They are wearing serious expressions on their faces and clothing of ancient Greece. In there hands they hold a representative soul, which they are giving to one another. The blue soul has a water element to it. That one belongs to the female. The other one has fire element and belongs to the male. The souls are causing injury to both people touching them, the water one causing bleeding while the fire causes burning. Above the couple there is fire, and below them there is water. The people in the drawing are in black and white.

The whole drawing has a binary theme to it, similar to the concept of Yin and Yang. My boyfriend and I have many things that let us relate, yet there are things about us that make us very different from one another. These similarities and difference create a unique balance and harmony that is difficult to obtain from other people. The fire and water, black and white, the two people being the same colors, the height difference between the two, and Yin-Yang-like pattern created by the fire, water, and souls are all things that help support this message.

There is also commentary on the type of love that is shared between Eric and me and what we went through and are willing to go through for one another. The ancient Greek clothing shows how immortal and everlasting out love is or I hope for it to be, similar to the life span of the Greek gods. The love is also ideal, like something one would hear about in myths. The two exchange souls, one giving the other their “heart.” These souls are made of precious stone because they are things that should be treasured. This is a difficult task. The bleeding and burning show all the barriers one has to get past to do such a thing. It also shows what two people in love are willing to go through for one another.