“I’m aware of what the intention is.” — Prismacolor & Acrylic

A mirror, a gesture, a moment suspended — layered, deliberate, and softly defiant.

Edward Cushenberry continues his Polaroid-style series with this intimate scene: a woman calmly applies eyeliner, eyes closed, her expression poised somewhere between focus and fatigue. Behind her, reflections multiply — arms, hands, and faces echoing back in a fragmented loop that suggests repetition, or performance. The mirrored space is warm with yellow tones, yet the energy is internal. The handwritten caption reads: “I’m aware of what the intention is.” — a sentence that hums with self-possession. It could be resignation. Or a warning.

Made with Prismacolor pencil, ink, graphite and acrylic on Bristol paper, the drawing uses flat color planes and soft grain to conjure the feeling of a memory already fading. The layered reflections feel like a nod to Cushenberry’s photographic roots — less about technical realism, more about psychological realism. The framing device, mimicking a Polaroid with its brush-painted white border and handwritten caption, turns the piece into a keepsake, or a note passed between friends.

Part of a larger body of work exploring intimacy, identity, and quiet resistance, this drawing is a small-scale study in self-awareness. It’s about being looked at — and choosing how to be seen. Signed on the reverse, with tactile signs of its handmade process — light smudges, pigment drag, and the occasional imperfection that makes it feel all the more real.

Object: Original drawing on Bristol paper

Title: “I’m aware of what the intention is.”

Artist / Author: Edward Cushenberry

Date: 2024

Technique / Method: Prismacolor pencil, ink, graphite, and acrylic paint

Medium / Materials: Bristol paper

Edition: Unique

Signed: Yes, on reverse

Dimensions: 10.8 × 8.9 cm (4.25 × 3.50 in)

Condition: Excellent, with visible surface textures and pigment layers

Provenance: Darwin Collection