They say every face tells a story, but a lot of us tend to ignore the one in the mirror.
Each month, Tough Guy Book Club has a monthly challenge. An opportunity for our goons to add a page to their story, push themselves out of their comfort zone, or try something new. This month, we asked our goons to stop ignoring the guy in the mirror, really take a look, and put it down on paper.
The brief for #ArtGang26 was simple: draw or paint a self-portrait using a physical medium. Get away from the screens. No digital, no filters, and definitely no AI. Pens, pencils, paint, charcoal, ink.
The challenge wasn’t about being a "good" artist, but about giving it a real crack. We know that putting yourself out there, and being willing to fuck something up in pursuit of trying something new, is tough as hell.
Mornington Goon Nicholas Chenu said, “I’ve always been afraid of making art…I’m very proud to have completed the challenge. It’s probably the first piece of art I’ve made in about 25 years and the first I’m not ashamed of.” That sentiment was echoed by quite a few others, saying it’s the first art they’ve attempted since school.
Tough Guy Book Club's Facebook group - Pool Hall, was flooded with results…some great efforts, some great results, and some bloody amazing talent mixed in. Wellington’s Andrew Martin tried new mediums for the first time with some paint markers. There was a wide variety of medium across the club with pencil, pen, paint (acrylics, water colour, house paint), crayon, even coffee. One Goon even drew a Mad Magazine style fold in!
Whether the goons ended up with a masterpiece or a smudge that vaguely resembled a human head, they all did something good this month. They took a look at themselves, they put themselves out there, and they supported each other’s efforts. That’s what this club is all about.
By the time the ink dried, the club had a gallery of faces that were passionate, thoughtful, and respectful. It turns out that a book club can be a place to belong, a place to get away, and—for this month at least—a place to see ourselves a little more clearly.
By Josh King