#2 Living in the Tension Between Perfection and Imperfection

I constantly live in a paradox: a perfectionist drawn to the imperfect, the flawed, the cast out and abandoned. This tension creates a quiet but persistent battle within me—both internal and external.

Over the years, I’ve faced several health challenges, and each time, I've been forced to reassess how I work and create. Just as we turn to comfort foods in times of need, I turn to comfort mediums: photography, charcoal, pastels and watercolours. These are the tools I reach for when the world feels uncertain and I need something familiar to hold onto.

Before my most recent hospital visit, I created a series of small studies. These are the pieces I’d like to share with you first.

While making these drawings, I remembered a short black-and-white film I watched as a child—The Last Leaf. It left a profound impression on me, both visually and emotionally, and it’s stayed with me all these years. Recently, I decided to search for it online. Finding a film when you can’t recall its title is no small task, but I eventually tracked down a copy (link below).

The story centers around a young woman dying of a broken heart. Outside her window, a vine climbs the wall, and she believes the leaves are tied to her life force. When the last leaf falls, she believes she too will die. It’s a poignant reminder of how fragile the thread between life and death truly is—how it can be severed in an instant.

https://youtu.be/_jeaszRQEYk?si=zxPsKfSmp8L8wsfD

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading my blog. Until next time …

Jacqueline 🖤