The Upside Down

      As I have been working on portraits, in order to complete my entire family by 2017, I had to get myself done. Making a "selfie" is much more difficult than you'd expect. You think it would be easy, but we really don't spend that much time looking at ourselves, at least I don't. I spend more time staring at a computer screen...or when home, at my kids everday messes. Seriously, I'm not sure the toothpaste ever gets in their mouth, but rather all over the bathroom sink. So, when I started this painting, it took awhile and a lot of revision. You see yourself a certain way & when you really stare at yourself, for long periods of time and then start to put in on canvas, your brain starts to trick you. And before you know it, you don't look like yourself. You've strayed way too far off. So you flip yourself upside down to make sense of the nonscese and that is strange to be so upside down at yourself, but it works for a little while...at least to accomplish some parts. But then that starts to fail and you have to go back upright again, where you are somewhat more comfortable. And it continues this dance of the upside down. 

Self Portrait #1 (2017)
Oil on canvas board 6x6

However, at some point you just have to stop working on yourself for a bit, just enjoy what you've accomplished already & make another "selfie" later, when you have a new haircut. 

-Cheree

Here is the finished accoplishment: