What Art Is About

Writers: Avery, Jelena
Date Posted: 24th March 2014

Characters: Eioval, Riveenata
Description: Riven learns something about art and acquires a sketch.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 25 of Turn 7

It hadn't been too difficult to find Eioval's quarters. She wasn't
sure if he'd be around or off with friends, but she knocked at the
door anyway. If he was gone, she could come back later.

"Door's open!" Eioval called out without looking up from the large
canvas he was working on. The paint was just about everywhere, but he
did not even seem to notice.

Riven poked her head around the door. "You said I could stop by..."
she began, and stopped and stared. "What are you creating?"

"Art," Eioval grinned, stepping back and only then realising just how
soaked in paint he really was. He pulled of his now blue and green
shirt and used it to wipe off some of the paint from the table. "I'm
doing an impression of a mating flight," he said, pointing at the
green and blue swirls on the canvas.

Her lips twitched up at the corner as he used his shirt to clear the
paint - was that fixing it, or spreading it? She studied it carefully.
Dragons dancing around each other, blurred by the speed of their
movements and the eddies of the wind... "I can see it."

Eioval smiled like a proud father. "Awesome." He seemed to think for a
moment, switching over from his art to her reason for being there.
"Right, the sketches! Grab a seat and I'll go fetch them."

She smiled. "Thanks." Where was safe to sit, she wondered? There was a
chair with only some paper and hides...she lifted them up, settled
them carefully next to it and not in danger of being stepped on, and
then planted herself into it.

Eioval disappeared from sight for a moment, rummaging around in a
large cabinet with the occasional grunt and mumble to be heard.
Finally he reappeared with a pile of hides and papers. "Here, I think
these are most my lakeside sketches." He had no idea how many of those
were actually of S'vai, but he was sure Riveenata didn't mind leafing
through them.

She accepted the pile. "Wow, there's a lot," she commented. "How much
time would you say you sketch, versus...taking commissions, or - you
know, I don't know much about what artists do."

"Hmm," Eioval considered the question for a moment. "I try to spend at
least an hour or two sketching. You can never stop honing your skill
as an artist and it's good for inspiration as well."

His talent was undeniable. He'd done several of riders she recognized,
most in normal every-day tasks like bathing their dragons or
practicing an exercise. There were a few of other River Bluff
residents, and she smiled at one of a weaver she didn't recognize
intent on her needles. "You are _so_ good at this."

"Oh, thank you," Eioval smiled. He was used to the compliments, but
they never failed to make him smile still. He had great pride in his
work. "I just hope there's a good one of S'vai in there."

She found it as he was talking and her breath stuttered a little.
There he was, with his head against his brown, the pair lazing in the
sunlight. It was a pretty characteristic pose. "You did fantastic on
this one." She showed it to him to remind him.

Eioval took the picture from her for a moment to study it more
closely. "Ah yes, I remember this one, it was such a lovely day." He
smiled slightly as he gave it back to Riveenata. "I'm glad you like
it. Make sure to look if there's one you like more, though."

She flipped through a few more, but didn't see any of S'vai. She did
stop and smile for a moment at one of a few riders in their gear,
conferring before drills perhaps? And there was one of a little
dragonet gracelessly shuffling along the ground. "You put so much
personality into these."

"It's what I try to achieve, at least," Eioval nodded. "Anyone can
draw, really, but to put life into the drawings, to capture someone's
personality or the essence of the moment, that is true art to me."

"When did you first start with art?"

"As soon as I was able to hold a pencil?" Eioval laughed. "But
seriously, I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, but it was
only after I joined the Harper craft that I truly begun to appreciate
what real art is all about."

She envied him his certainty in what he did and wanted to do. "That's
really something. I'm sure the craft and our Weyr is better for having
you."

"I hope so," Eioval smiled. "At least I can make people a bit happier
sometimes," he gestured at the drawing of S'vai she had put aside.
"That's worth a great deal to me."

"At that, you're the best," she said, meaning every word.

"You flatter me," Eioval smiled kindly. "I'm glad I could help a
little. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll get better." She gave him a little smile. "I'm sure I'll be
dancing by the Hatching."

"Promise to save a dance for me?"

"Of course I will."

Last updated on the April 4th 2014

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What Art Is About