Friday, February 01, 2008

ren's self-portrait


Here it is: my self-portrait. better late than never; and better unfinished than not at all---that's my motto!
This is only my second self-portrait ever. I lived with a photographer for a number of years and had gotten used to being photographed; that took a while, but then when we went our separate ways, it took me a while to get used to not being photographed. Go figure!

So this challenge was truly a challenge for me (and yes, that is the point, eh? LOL). And all I could do was this: I call it "The Eyelashes I Think I Have." I'm hoping to add much more thread work on the face and into the border. There should be hair and maybe part of an eyebrow. If I manage to do more, I'll post the result. Meanwhile, enjoy my green stare :)

8 comments:

Carole said...

Nice way to present this Ren..
Please post again if you do more on it.
Carole

Cherie in Del Mar said...

How effective your stitching in the eye is! What size is this quilt?
Nice job
Cherie

ren said...

the center part of the quilt is 6.5 x 9 inches, so not very big. glad you like it!

Cynthia Ann Morgan said...

Hi Ren, this is wonderful...wrinkles and all. I like your idea of showing a bit of an eyebrow...I think it would add even more expressive quality to the piece. Great job.
Cynthia

brendaj said...

Hi Ren,

I like the way this is cropped and presented, and I love the border fabric. I think maybe it needs a bit of shading (threadwork?) to give the face a bit more of a three dimensional quality. I can't quite put my finger on it. The threadwork on the eye is really well done.

Brenda

anna k. said...

This is a very clever piece Ren. A great take on the challenge.
I would have been greedy and wished for longer lashes!

Cay Denise said...

Hello Ren,

One needs to click and enlarge the image posted here to see the work you've done on the piece.

I would love to see this when you've done more threadwork on it. Right now, it feels unfinished to me.

Also, the title you've given it doesn't match what I see as the center of attention. That center is the wrinkles; not the eye. I'm curious what others think about this comment.

I do like the green strip of color along the left side of the piece, because it suggests a hairline which makes the close-up of the eye more understandable in terms of position.

ren said...

hello, Cay!
Thanks for your feedback; it is very helpful. The piece is still unfinished; I'm hoping to get back to this piece, but other deadlines have gotten in the way (isn't that the way it always is, eh?).

The title has to do with what I would like people to notice about me, not the very obvious (as you noted) wrinkles. You know, that sleight-of-hand thing--distract from what is really going on LOL!

And the strip of dark on the left is indeed my hairline/"sideburns" (what are they called on women, anyway?).

And so it goes.