Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Self-portrait Time

Me, or Mrs. Kinney??

Lately I've wanted to paint myself. By way of background, I hate seeing photos of myself. I'm always putting my hand in front of my face when someone tries to take a photo of me. And when I see the image, I think to myself, Is that how I look? Really??

So I have this idea that if I paint myself over and over, I'll overcome the disconnect I feel whenever I see a picture of myself. That's my theory anyway.

This weekend I worked on another self-portrait for my third Moleskine piece in my own book. Oddly, it started out kind of looking like me but the more I worked on it the more it ended up looking like an elderly woman that owned a card shop where I worked when I was about 13.

Taking Aya's cue (of photographing herself with her journal) I snapped a shot of me next to my self-portrait. The good news is I don't look like Mrs. Kinney--yet. The bad news is, I'm still not so good at doing my self-portrait. :)

good news and bad news

9 comments:

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

How fun! Still very fun. Your SP looks more like me than it does like you.

I HATE looking myself!

I always want my self-portraits to look like I did when I was younger, but that's not very honest, I guess.

Yours is bright and colorful. Will you include a print of the photo in the pocket?

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

You look much younger in the photo than in the portrait.

I like the subtle colors in the portrait.

roma said...

Thanks, Mary. I turn 50 this year, and I think it must be bothering me more than I imagined, given that I seemed to fixate on jowls and the neckline in this portrait. I like that about art and writing--you work through things that bother you under the surface. :)

Yes, I can include a print of the portrait in the pocket.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

The photo of you with the portrait. To have them both together in real life.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I'm turning 65 this year--and having a lot of the same issues, I think, or similar ones.

roma said...

Yay, I imagine from here on out there will be a coming-to-terms with age. Then you reach my mother's age (86) and all is well. Her inner beauty shines through and that's all we can see. :)

OK, so I will include copies of both the photo and the print. Great idea.

henniemavis said...

Oh my, your comment about a focus on jowls & neckline made me laugh! Did you ever read Nora Ephron's book "I Feel Bad About my Neck?" If you're good-humored about women's aging issues, it's a hoot.

Forget that stuff & look at the the fabulous eye in your self-portrait! Amazingly interesting & well-crafted, I find :-)

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

yes, the eye is wonderful.

Something Different said...

SP's are difficult. I never get myself looking right either. Once I tried one of myself and I came out looking like the Donger from 16 Candles. DOH!