Today was the last day of sheduled painting so I got a real early start (5am) on the day and walked from the billets house to the church. The church is in a bad part of saskatoon and along my 5 minute walk I was propositioned by a prostitute. I was so shocked that all I could do is say "no thank you" and keep walking. I've met alot of prostitutes before especially when I worked with the homeless youth but I had never been propositioned before. I've counselled former male prostitues but walking away like that - not saying anything, not at least trying to make it better... I just felt helpless and so saddened for this girl and so powerless to help her. I tried to ignore it as I got to the wall and started to paint - to think of the goodness of God or something but I couldn't, it was nagging at me I felt at the edge of tears crying for this girl and the life shes living mixed with regret and a strange uneasyness. I started painting the portrait of the alcoholic when cowboy came over and started to show me some tips (cowboy is a fantastic artist) he started working with it and he told me a little bit about his life and eventually asked if he could finish the portrait and asked if I wouldn't mind working on painting the face of the prostitute. It was so cleansing such a release to identify with the pain and to paint out of that fear and despiration. The feeling of appathy disipated as I painted, spreading the message that there is hope for this situation. I changed the source picture to look more like the girl who I met earlier and after I was finished I felt more at peace and whole maybe.
We kept working late into the night, amp camer and I. Sonz and Cowboy had gone back home and pyksy was with her children. I was the last day and we had alot of work left we stayed up till 1 or 2am. I got back to the billets home and heard rain as I fell asleep.
