Sunday, July 19, 2009

Self-Portrait

A couple of posts ago, I put up a few watercolor cards I had quickly sketched out for our school teachers this year, and it was funny to me to get all these comments like, "wow, I didn't know you could do that!"

And then it was depressing.

Has it really been that long since I've painted, that I have nothing to show for it? Is that part of me so removed from my daily life that even my children are surprised by my secret talents when once in a while I amaze them with drawing something that darn near looks like what it is trying to look like? Actually, whenever the kids say, "mommy, that is really good!" I tell them, "well yeah, I'm an artist!" And then I make them repeat it out loud. I've pretty much got 'em trained. One time Taylor slipped up and said "mommy was an artist" but I sent him out back for a willow stitch and we set him straight right away.

So I thought I'd show you another example (maybe the only other living example) of my work as an "artist". I painted this self-portrait when I was...in high school? College? I took college art classes in high school, so I get mixed up. But I cheated and did it from a photo... a photo that my dad took of me when I was no more than 15, judging by the flipped-up collar.

There are so many flaws in this painting (obviously before the college classes where I learned to draw proportional hands), but it's not too shabby if I do say so... I'm obliged to wonder what would've been produced had I not stopped drawing/painting?


This is the photo I was working from:

6 comments:

Sarah said...

maybe you should start up again and see where you go.

(in all your spare time)

Renae said...

I like it! <3

Michelle said...

Great painting.

les said...

you should start up again. seriously. my m.i.l. started painting for the first time a few years ago and she's awesome-and she's never had any formal training.

if it's something you love, your work will be amazing (at least to you if no one else.)

Dennis Family said...

do what you love.

Jessi said...

you haven't stopped, just taken a little break while the kiddies are so young. I can't wait to see what you produce next!