Sunday, February 8, 2015

Self Portrait (struggle)

graphite 12"x9"

I've always found drawing or painting a self-portrait to be monstrously difficult. I can look at other people's faces calmly and somewhat objectively, but I turn into a slithering pile of self-doubt when I contemplate my own. 

I think this drawing is passable, plus has a nice searching-in-the-dark quality- a grasping at understanding who I am now, at this middle-aged state of being a 55 year old woman.

As just about every woman past the age of 40 must think, it's awfully difficult to get older and begin to feel relatively invisible.  I hope to try many other self-portraits as a way to prove to myself that I'm not invisible at all. 

18 comments:

  1. Your warm and glowing personality glows through, Taryn!

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  2. It's a beautiful drawing! I really appreciate your sharing your work and your making the world more visible.

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  3. Oh yes, this is more then passable! Very sensible portrait. I understand the difficulties to get older, men or a woman. But like they said: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is my experience that when drawing and painting faces, they all are beautiful, the young, the ugly, the old, and so on. I find it very difficult to make selfportraits because I can't sit still and see meself from slightly different positions. Keep doing selfportraits! You are not invisible :-)

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    1. Thanks Jave- I agree. I find other people's faces interesting no matter what their age, but it's harder to feel that way about my own.

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  4. Your gaze is like a bullet to the gut...you sure struck me with portrait! Amazing likeness except you added at least 10 years to your face. You look so much younger in person.

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  5. I am so impressed with your self portrait. Your statement impressed me even more. I remember the struggle I experienced upon turning 50. Now I am much older and I appreciate that aging is a privilege denied to many. So invisible or not, celebrate your beauty & your art.

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    1. Yes I agree, we are lucky to live a good long time. Thanks Patricia.

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  6. Another beautiful and powerful portrait. Powerful because you have made such a statement that reaches so many of us. ( just turned 58 ) looking forward to seeing more.

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  7. Wow, this portrait really interacts with the viewer! The gaze is so direct and discerning. I think it is beautifully done; so much more than just a likeness.
    I know what you mean about beginning to feel invisible (I am now nearly 65). In some ways, it is almost a relief, but in many ways, very disconcerting. I've never tried a self portrait, but I think of my paintings as confirmation of my viability; that I am not invisible or irrelevant.

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    1. Yes Tricia, I agree- a relief but also disconcerting. Thank you!

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  8. It's a beautiful self-portrait that is full of life and expression! And what's more, it looks like a drawing!! It's not overtly hyper-realistic as if meant to mimic a photograph. I feel as though I take away a sense of your interpretation of yourself. Wonderfully done!

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    1. I love what you say here, as lately I'm determined to get away from using any photography in my work. I've done my share of painting and drawing from photos, but I really think working from life makes for more of a personal expression.

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  9. I agree; self portraits are difficult. We don't see ourselves objectively, which is a tough hurdle to get past. Great work.
    http://richardspainting.blogspot.co.uk

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  10. I've just discovered your blog and I'm looking forward happily to looking through your work. I love this. Your calm, open expression really caught my eye and kept me interested. I like works that draw (excuse the pun) me in and that I can wander around in and find new things in. For me, that's partly why I'm not that keen on photo realism - everything's laid out for us, and after 10 minutes there's nowhere left to explore.

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