Khalil Gibran, is quoted as having said, “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” I remember reading these words for the first time back in the summer of 1992. It wouldn’t be until the early spring of 1997 before I’d remember them again…

When I first saw Ann, on the evening of February 14th, 1997, one of the very first things I noticed was her hair. From across the room, her long, perfectly straight, coffee brown hair absorbed the light that was all around her. Every time she moved the light would shift, creating waves of color that had a hint of an early autumn russet about them. It’s interesting to note that later that evening when I finally and briefly spoke with her, I noticed she had Hazel eyes. As her movements, gracefully, continued to shift about, it almost seemed the shades, in every strand, were taking passive cues from her “sprinkles of summer,” reluctant to flow in unison, unless permitted.

As with most, the grass is always greener and with Ann, in this department, it’s no different. Just as most women with curly hair have straighteners, you guessed it right… Ann has a curling iron. Mind you, it’s not just any curling iron. Ann has continued to use the same brand long before she even met me. I can tell you she is very fond of her hair, maybe not as much I as I am, but curling her hair is a daily ritual, one I doubt I will ever see retired in this lifetime.

Her iron is always at rest to the left of her sink. I very rarely see it plugged in unless I’m catching her wrapping up stage three. Ah yes, the “stages…”

Stage Overview:

Taking a shower and getting ready for the day is a process. In fact, it can be quite complicated if you really sat back and thought about all the various tasks that would need to be performed in order to put your best foot forward for the day. In Ann’s case, she has the whole process, from start to finish, methodically mapped out into three stages.

Stage One:

I believe this stage is more of a myth than anything. Even though I have been shoulder to shoulder with her for almost two decades, I have yet to actually experience this stage in its entirety. Stage one, allegedly, contains all the “above top secret” preparations a woman must undergo, but this is simply speculation.

Stage Two:

I’ve walked in on this stage before and there really isn’t anything to report outside the fact that the mirrors in the bathroom are always still steamed up, Ann’s clothed and booted and she almost always has a towel on her head indicating that her hair is or was once wet. I think it’s safe to assume that “Stage One” includes actual shower-time, but again, still speculation and still making me a less likely candidate for the witness stand.

Ann’s curling iron has been spotted in this stage, but it’s always resting comfortably, unused, in its natural habitat.

Stage Three:

I’ve interrupted this stage countless times! Every time I come in, her hair has been thoroughly dried and the curling iron is always being put down from having been used. I’d say about five to ten minutes after the fact, Ann wraps the iron’s wire around itself until she achieves a nice, even coil.

So in honor of every strand of a woman’s hair that has captivated the hearts of men, I present this curling iron. Every time I see a curling iron now, I see the light shining down upon her. I see the wind carry her subtlety through the change of every season since and most importantly, I see her, just as unconditionally as I did when I first laid eyes on her… almost eighteen years ago.

 

Medium: Watercolors
Size: 6 x 4 (inches)
Materials: 90lb Cold Press Paper
Frame: Mini Wooden Shadow Box with Glass (4 5/8"W x 6 5/8"T x 1.25"D)
Completed: Friday, October 3, 2014

Artist: Adam Kiger
Represented By: Park View Gallery
Artist's Website: www.adamkiger.com

 

Who is Ann and what is 31 flavors of love?!