International Self Portrait Day

 

For David Lobenberg

Self portrait
acrylic on canvas
12 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2009
(I did this portrait for David Lobenberg's

June Paint Off in 2009)

You can read about it here.)

I learned that it was International Self Portrait Day today from the fabulous
portrait artist Jane French, who wrote about it in an Instagram post.

Wondering what to write about tonight -- I thought --Yes! Artists who paint
portraits -- and portraits are some of the subjects I like to paint -- frequently
have no model other than themselves.  So of course I've painted my portrait
more than once during my artistic life. This is one of my favourite self portraits. 
My husband Steven has it hanging above his work desk.

Funnily enough we almost never capture exactly what we think we look
like -- but this one works well for me.  There is a suggestion of a sense

of humour.  And I am grateful to be around kind and funny people 
most of the time.  So yes -- that is a quality I'm glad is there.

2009 was a very big year for me.  Lots of TV, newspaper articles, the
beginning of showing in International Art exhibitions.  And I drew 
Oprah live via Skype on the Oprah Winfrey show, so I also like
this portrait for the time that it captures.

Have a loving your life day.