Saturday, March 26, 2011

Self Portrait With Bobbin

Self Portrait drawing, c. 1990-95

While going through some of my old journals and sketchbooks I ran across this drawing. I didn't date the piece so I'm not absolutely certain of the date... late 90's... and it was a lone piece, stuck into the back of a sketchbook. The expresssion is sorta scary, but I think that's because of the angle of the mirror I was using. The drawing was glued to the larger paper (8.5 x 11") with a bit of pattern tissue added as well as lines indicating quilting stitches and a sewing machine bobbin with thread... a true self portrait indicating what interested me at the time. The tissue has turned brown with age because of0 the acid content of papers used for pattern tissue, then and now, and even the acrylic medium in which it was encased didn't prevent color change... a lesson for those of us who use ephemera in our work.

I now date each piece as I complete it, on the back when I can, or if it's in a book I put the date in one of the corners. So many times I've made something and later wished I knew when I made it and what was going on in my life when it came into being. So I'm guessing on this one, but hopefully my life history from here on will be more accurate... if anyone cares!

7 comments:

  1. What a wonderful surprise to find. I think it's great.

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  2. great job on the portrait! The page looks wonderful from here :-)

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  3. Great job, Jo. I am looking over your whole blog with new eyes!

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  4. Thanks for the comments, friends. BJ said I should frame it and maybe I will. I remember that at the time I did it I didn't like it much, but now I do. It's funny that happens, but art often looks better at a distance... both of time and perspective. Don't make quick judgments, but walk away and look at it from a distance, of 20 feet or a few months.

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  5. You should date for your own purposes, it's kind of like a photo album! Although they tell you not to date pieces you send to galleries, because if they don't sell for a while, people have a perception that there is something wrong with them! I used to date on the front with my signature, but I don't anymore. For my own purposes, I have computer software that I inventory my work in and it will always provide that info.

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  6. What a great self-portrait, Jo. I like the quilting lines- they tie it all together.

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I appreciate comments and questions.