Unrealistic Expectations: The Nude Figure

I have always enjoyed drawing the human figure. I really cannot think of a more beautifal subject. It is such a shame that our society and culture put such unrealistic demands 0n what the ideal body should look like, especially when it comes to women. I have 2 daughters. They are both wonderful, intelligent, creative young women. Over the years they have both sufered from having bad self images of their bodies. As a father, they do not believe me when I tell them that there is no such thing as a perfect (or ideal) body.

Bodies, there are only 2 basic models, male and female. The rest is all a variation on a theme. I come from an Eastern European heritage. I will never be the tall, lean person I used to want to be. I am built like a peasant, a tree stump, or a fire plug, take your pick. My body was made for physical labor and I have good physical strength.

If I had it to do over, I would raise my children as nudists. Nudists have very few problems with body self image. They can see,literally, and they know that everyone is different, not better, just different. They are also a lot more mellow and a lot friendlier than other people. It is rather hard to be pretentious when you are standing there naked and don't have the outward trappings, such as expensive clothes, to show others how successful or wonderful you are, you only have yourself.


So, how do I know this? Well, I am a nudist. A lifetime ago, when my wife and I were young and living in California, we used to go to nude beaches. The freedom felt wonderful and there is no greater joy than skinny dipping. Well, maybe there are greater joys but you know what I mean. Regretfully, here in Michigan, with all of its coastlines on these beautiful Great Lakes, there are no nude beaches. How sad, how disappointing. But we discovered nudist resorts. There are some very beautiful nudist resorts in this country. Nude recreation is one of the fastest growing industries in this country. The people who go to them tend to be better educated and have a much more tolerant view of life and others.

This last October, my wife and I were at a nudist resort in Kissimmee, FL, just outside of Orlando. We were there because they had an art fair. This was the second year that the Cypress Cove Resort had this event. It is not to often, as an artist, that I can find a venue to exhibit my paintings of nudes. The people who came to the fair were not just nudists, there were also textiles (a nudist term for non-nudists). The resort opened their gates to the general public. The artists got a larger group of viewers and the resort got a chance to market themselves to people that might never have thought of visiting a nudist resort. It also gave the public a chance to see that as nudists, we are just like them. We have the same interests and concerns only we do it without clothing. And believe me, when it is hot and humid this is a real benefit. Our youngest daughter (she is 22) came with us on this trip and was surprised to find that she was not self-conscious and how much she enjoyed herself.

This summer, I will be doing another art fair at a nudist resort. This time it is here in Michigan at the Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, MI. I am looking forward to it. I will have a chance to educate people about why it is important to have art in their life and why the nude human form is not obscene. We can do things with the body that are obscene but nudity itself is a reflection of the creator. As Oscar Wilde said, if God had wanted me to be nude, I would've been born that way!