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Art and Poetry

Glenn Gould Portraits

by Veronica Xavier

Introduction

I'll never forget the first time I heard Glenn Gould play. It was as though someone had pulled a heavy curtain away, and suddenly I could see the radiance of what was on the outside. Up to then, perfection of that kind from a human source was something unknown to me, and I suspected the discovery I'd just made was going to have more than a little impact. I was right.

Gould's music has inspired me in many ways, one of them of course being artistically. As drawing is a love of mine, it only seemed right that he be the subject of some portraits. There were so many aspects to his life and personality that I feel many images are appropriate to describe him. With charcoal, pencil and paint, I've attempted to capture a few of the numerous sides to this rather enigmatic, breathtakingly talented artist.

Veronica Xavier was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently lives in San Francisco and studies Fine Art at San Francisco State University.

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