Written by Sandee Setliff – As an artist who normally works in a studio by herself, it is always a novelty making eye contact with people while being creative. I don’t mind it actually, but I’m just not use to it. We rely on eye contact to communicate and connect with one another on a conscious and unconscious level, which is considered a basic social interaction.

I am trying to learn, that the act of plein air sketching is an open invitation for people to approach you. Which is kinda funny in a way. You wouldn’t walk over to a construction worker and ask them, “Can I see what you are working on?” Or casually stroll up behind a librarian and peek over their shoulder to see what she is reading… would you? So why does seeing someone drawing outside illicit the act of uncontrollable curiosity?

Don’t misunderstand me, I really don’t mind it at all. But I do see the need to have a sense of humor when an 8 year old sneaks up behind you, thrusts their hand over your shoulder, pointing at your work to ask “Did you really draw that?” Or when someone chases you down to inquire if they could join the next plein air sketching group. It’s flattering… in a stalker-ish kind of way.

On this excursion to the Carl Sandburg Home, I couldn’t help but reflect on all the eye contact being made between us, the people, and especially the goats. We were staring at them and they were staring right back at us. Makes you wonder what they were thinking. Eye contact can also be a form of flirting and I wasn’t quite sure where the goats were going with this. I sure wasn’t going to climb into their fenced in closure to find out either. After all, some things are just best left up to the imagination! Although I am quite positive they were just hoping we had some food for them and if I really looked closely into their eyes, I probably would have seen disappointment there. I don’t think they were impressed with our artistic renditions of them.

So on this day, there was a lot of eye contact being made. Us looking at the goats, the goats looking back at us and the people strolling around, who were also looking at us. If your eyes are “the windows to your soul,” then I have to admit that when I am out sketching, I have the shades pulled down partially. I have to, in order to get any work done. For once eye contact is made usually, conversing is the next step. I am not that good at multitasking.

And hey, did that goat just wink at me?

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Sandee Setliff is a contemporary mixed media artist and art journalist, enjoying her journey into writing. Her art work can be viewed year round at the Art Mob Studio and she teaches Art Journaling classes at the Henderson County Parks and Recreation Athletics and Activity Center in Hendersonville.