My Naked Truth.

Yesterday, I did a very potent shoot with Jim Wilkinson of Edmonds. He has been accepted as an installation artist for the Seattle Erotic Art Festival, being helped May 20^th-22^nd. His project is called "Naked Truth: Exposing Men's/Women's Souls." The idea is that even when we are without clothes, we are not necessarily vulnerable. There is always something about ourselves that if we wore it on our skin for everyone to see, then we would be truly naked and vulnerable. Here is a small snippet from his casting call:

I'm looking for women who will be able to be vulnerable and honest as I paint your "message" on your body and then photograph you. There's a place in this work to express yourself in these very powerful (and sometimes playful) images.

Sounds easy, right? And it was, during the shoot. There were definitely a few moments when the weight of the words seemed to drag me down. The various expressions I wore were real and poignant, but not overwhelming. Later that evening, though, the full extent of what I had revealed to him couldn't be ignored. Those words are a hard truth; a painful truth I have been avoiding.

"I'm angry my daddy isn't my father."

There are so many layers to that statement. And they all are sad and painful right now. And as much as it's not pleasant, it's ok that I am feeling these things. I am trying to approach this the way I look at the Energy Pull Ritual: It was extremely valuable. Even though it wasn't fun and I didn't get to the state of ecstasy that was the goal- it was incredibly valuable. Knowing that I am still working through this shit is valuable. Grief can't be worked through if you ignore it. So, here I go. Hugs and head pets are most appreciated, if you can spare them.

In closing, this is a great project and a fun artist to work with. If you are interested in being a part of this installation and being truly naked at the Festival, give Jim an email.