Rachel, Isabel, and Pierre

Locked away by her brother Pierre, Isabel the artist stays home alone all day waiting for his return; for when he returns, he brings home a girl for Isabel to draw ~ like the lovely Rachel.

The girls Pierre brings home are presented in intimate nudes by Isabel who also describes them in an equally intimate manner. While the art is most flattering, her verbage may not be so ~ proving that conventional physical beauty may indeed have it's limits. But love and lust do not, for even though I read that Rachel had tongue enlargement surgery and drinks faery blood, I remain smitten...

And while I do continue to adore dear Rachel, my thoughts now turn to Isabel... How does she charm these beauties into baring body and soul?

One quick conversation with Isabel provies that while Rachel presents the pretty pink package, it's Isabel who's the fascinating one...

Gracie: Isabel, please tell us about yourself, and the story behind your website.

Isabel: My story can be read on my website. To sum it up, I have a lot of time on my hands, alone in this big house all day. To pass the time, I draw, doodle and paint girls and creatures. I put the fruits of my labor on the internet to cheer lonely web wanderers.

Gracie: When did you start drawing? And when did you call yourself an artist?

Isabel: I was drawing when I was two. I guess I slacked off a bit those first couple of years. I don't call myself an artist, but only because the few people I've met in my life who make a point of calling themselves artists turn out to be hacks or douchebags.

Gracie: How do you categorize or describe your style?

Sometimes, even robots have trouble opening pickle jars.

Isabel: I don't. If someone asks, "What do you draw, Isabel?," I'd say "If I must sum it up, sir, boobs and monsters." Then if he asks, "How do you draw, Isabel?," I'd say, "With pens and pencils and ink and paint, sir." And if he says, "But what is your style, dear?," I'd curl up into a ball and cry.

Gracie: "Boobs & monsters", hmmm, dare we ask why? Do you think they are related somehow?

Isabel: It has never occurred to me that they are; however, now that you bring it up, perhaps they are related in some shadowy way. The monsters are the secrets in my head; boobs are the secrets under girls' shirts.

Gracie: Who do you think is your main audience, men or women?

Isabel: Both, people in between, and those exempt.

Gracie: What is your favorite piece/project and why?

Isabel: I like one of my recent drawings a lot: Alona. I spent hours and hours making her lines just so. Thicker here, thinner there. It's difficult to chose a favorite thing of all time, since I've done many things over the years. Maybe my favorite would be something I've forgotten: something I've torn up and thrown away, or something that got ruined by getting wet, or something that was stolen. Alona is a recent gem.

Gracie: Have you ever drawn yourself?

Isabel: Yes. Six times. The fifth time, I put it on the internet. After drawing that, I burned my face while microwaving a bowl of tomato soup. The sixth time I drew myself, it was difficult to look in the mirror: all I could see was the red burn and the face it didn't quite look like me. I haven't drawn myself again after that, even though the burn has healed. I'm afraid that I'll look in the mirror and someone else will be looking back at me.

Gracie: How do you define success for yourself as a person?

Isabel: Success for me as a person is earning the devotion, respect and undying adoration of millions of people. Well, thousands would be nice, too. Hundreds would be pretty neat. I guess if I could earn the devotion, respect and undying adoration of ten people (besides those related to me by blood), I'd be happy.

Gracie: Ok... But what money, fame & fortune...? Or start small ~ If Pierre let you out, for one day, what would you do?

Isabel: I'd like to think I'd run freely out of the house, but I have a suspicion that I would spend much of the day standing on the doorstep, afraid to exit. Once I got up the nerve, it would be late, about eight in the evening, and I'd go out and see a movie (I hope Gore Gore Girls would be playing at a revival house somewhere; maybe Pierre could arrange that for me). Otherwise, I'd find a stranger to follow. I'd come home at midnight and be relieved when Pierre re-locked the door.

Gracie: Before we go, Isabel, I have to ask you, what did you have for breakfast?

Isabel: Why, thank you for asking. I had a lovely piece of toast and a large mug of coffee. I really don't have oatmeal every day; I'm clearly not totally boring.

No, Isabel is clearly not boring... And neither is her art. But what is not clear is if Pierre locks Isabel up because she's a creative-type best hidden from the pressures of the world, or if she's a danger to herself or others... Or maybe, she's a bit looney because he locks her up so... Does it even matter?

I don't know who Pierre is, but I do want him to bring me home one night. Then I can meet Isabel. I'd carefully make the tomato soup for us to share, and she'd draw me. Of course I'd be most beautiful... but what would she write about me?