Gaugin exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada and a self portrait

Self portrait sketch 
at the Gaugin exhibition

crayon on art paper

8 x 10 inches

Barbara Muir © 2019

We have been in Ottawa celebrating our wedding anniversary, and
today visited the Gaugin Portrait exhibition. What's great about
the National Gallery of Canada in addition to hosting superb
exhibitions (I think this one is magnificent), is that they often add
a fun element to the exhibition.  The story of Gaugin, which is
explored in great detail in this show, is often somber.  He was a
very serious person.

But the gallery encouraged visitors to have fun with what they'd
seen by creating a self portrait room with chairs and a mirrored wall.
Plus they provided good paper, and crayons so art lovers could create
their own self portraits. The docent on that room was a wonderful
man with a great sense of humour.  While my family finished
visiting the extensive exhibition, I drew in the portrait room,
creating this very simple self portrait, which was placed on the wall
in a frame for me when it was done.

Now the concept of that is pretty exciting.  I know the minute
I was gone, someone else's image would go into that frame, but
for that brief moment, it was quite satisfying having work in
the National Gallery!

Have a supporting the arts day.