Of all my paintings, of all my beautiful skies and pretty brushstrokes, why on earth is this my 2023 "self-portrait"?
Because this oddball is the innermost me. Not the mousey, ordinary gal I present to the world, or the boring, everyday me (mostly) functioning day to day, but rather the imaginative weirdo, the original mischievous kid with an inexhaustible creative curiosity. When I look at this I’m saying hello to the me only I know.
My self-portraits are always abstract. There are no rules to abide by, no others to compare to, or end result in mind. I paint these for myself with no other purpose in mind but to really, truly, intimately connect with self. Each "portrait" has to be a painting that best represents, in terms of style and brushstroke and expression, where I am along my artistic journey at this moment in time.
Trust me - it's a LOT harder than you'd think! But I know it when I see it. The chosen piece is more about the thoughts and feelings I have when looking at, then the actual elements of the painting itself.
I see a continued delight in unusual colours and the way they tickle each other mischievously. I feel a growing confidence to let the weird out unabashedly. There's an acceptance of imperfection here that I really wrestle with in the majority of my work.
This one just makes me smile. It's so weird in a way that amuses my heart. It’s poking fun at the seriousness with which I otherwise take things and is gleefully refusing to conform. Sure, it has a face perhaps only its mother might love, but is thoroughly loved nonetheless.
I also know it will still make me smile a million years down the road and a timeless capture of joy is what it's all about.
Now, back to painting!
