One of the more thought provoking conversations I participated in at Artfest was the value of self-discovery through self-portraiture. It was a lively discussion about our relationships to our outer appearances. I don't identify with the person I see in photos of myself. It occurs to me that maybe others feel this way too. That outside I may look like the photo above but that inside I am rich and juicy and forever young.
You must see katie's self portraits too. I wish we could post all of them on one blog. It's an interesting investigation.
I believe I'm finally coming out of this plague of coughing asthma. I'm nearly through a round of anti-biotics for the sinus involvement and had a chest x-ray so it's been narrowed down to allergies. That word sounds innocuous but it's been quite a siege.
One of my favorite homelies is, "this too shall pass" and it is true. I have so many wonderful plans ahead of me; I want to be in top form to enjoy them all.
More soon.
21 comments:
I hope you are feeling better soon...
I think, to me, taking self portraits is hard because we often are our own worst critics. What we see in ourselves isn't always the glow that others see.
And woman, you radiate and glow!!!
Feel better soon and get some rest.
I stopped relating to the me in photos after I grew jowls. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting my old, er, young face back. I'm fine with the silver hair. The jowls, not so much.
You're beautiful whether you always see it or not!
I never see in my head the person who greets me in the mirror, in my head I'm much, much younger, not the sixty year old who looks back at me. My theory is, it's all to do with outlook and art. My uncle once said it's a total waste of time to worry about your age, it's the one thing in life we don't have control over or can do anything about, so why waste time worrying.
I hope you're feeling better now and feeling like the thirty year old in your head.
i'm so happy you're finally feeling better - allergies can be totally debilitating, zapping you of much needed strength.
you do radiate and glow, just like you see yourself on the inside. it's so odd, to look in the mirror, or at photographs and realize that is a reflection of ME, sometimes it feels like it will bowl me over with shock, the person that stares back at me must be someone else. it's uncomfortable for me but maybe it will get easier with lots of practice. i'm happy there are several of us committed to doing this with regularity as i believe the group energy supports the individual inquiry of each of us as we examine and explore.
and thanks for the mention in your post.
xo
I wish I could have participated in that conversation. I feel the same as you, juicy and forever young inside and why is my Mother always looking back at me when I pass the mirror?
I definitely understand what you mean by that disconnect between the photos you see of yourself and the you you see inside. I have a vision of an artist-me that never makes it through in pictures of me, even the more "arty" one's I take of myself. It feels good to explore self-portraits though.
I hope you feel better soon and can be up for fun and games !
..and ditto to you judy about the outside shell, which says nothing about the inside when i see myself. i really braved it this a.m. and posted my pic for the very first time on blog land. and ditto on the allergies and what they can cause, i hope you are feeling waaaaaay better-o! wanda
Yes, yes, yes!
Why is my mirror always lying to me? :-) What did I ever do to it?
Where does my skin think it's sliding to?
Wishing you health, hugs and healing!
I've had a lot of fun learning recently how to make a fabric self portrait and I love mine.
I can honestly say I am also happy with my aging process. At nearly 68 I have a wider smile, more twinkly eyes and a more expanded heart and head than I did when I was younger. I am happier than I have been in years. Art has been a huge part of this expanding process...
I bet if you had posted this when you were not going through an illness you'd see yourself much differently too. ;-) Just a guess/hunch. Hope you are all well soon.
Judy, You met my partner Lana Weed in de Mengs class on matchbooks at Artfest. Lana has had cough variant asthma so bad she had to take a 6 mo disability leave from Boeing. Today she just saw her doctor and after many years and is much much better. On advair and an
occasional inhaler plus nasacort and zyrtex,
It can be very scary. We identified scents, triggers, got air cleaners and stayed away from wood smoke etc.
If you ever need to talk to some one who has it and does pretty well after years of illness; Lana says call her 360-491-0110 or email: lweed26@comcast.net
Best of luck with fast healing. Joan Tucker
I hope this finds you on the up side of feeling MUCH better! Those stupid coughs can be nasty.
As for identifying with who I see in the mirror, well, not so much for me. That stopped 11 years ago after my brain tumor surgery. I couldn't really see "myself" in the mirror and just stopped looking for many years. I do look now, but I don't think it's the same as when I was younger.
And the getting older doesn't bother me so very much, it sort of all gravy now, as they say!
I hope you feel better too.......My life has changed completely since I began my watercolor journal....which I made by hand through inspiration from you!! I will send you pics later .....
you are right....this too shall pass.....hopefully soon
Mir
Oh Judy, you are so beautiful and so blonde and fair which is what I wanted to be! I rarely show myself on my blog as I just do not believe that is ME... so it must be the latest epidemic. Say, that would be a good project.
Speaking of epidemics, I do hope you are well and 100% soon. It's tough, I know. Thinking of you.
x Candace
It's so interesting what you say about not relating to yourself in pictures.
LK LUdwig told us at ArtFest that if we want to see a picture that looks like us we have to take it ourselves. Others shoot the photos when we look like what they see. I think it's a fabulous theory. I am going to start doing just that and see what happens.
The cough: Awful! I went through AF sneezing and choking on my own coughs. It didn't take away the fun though.
I too don't see Me in photos or in the mirror.
The beauty is - when I met you at ArtFest, age wasn't even a part of the portrait - smiles, shining eyes, positive vibes, warmth and energy came rushing out. Maybe that is why photos are so deceiving - they don't capture the essence.
What wonderful, complex, eclectic people we are!
Just wanted you to know, that you gave me the courage to do my own self portrait on my blog today. Thanks, Judy.
Hi Judy - I didn't read anyone's comments and I'm sure you have heard of this before but since I have asthma and allergies, I know where you are coming from. II must tell you the netti pot really works for me. If you haven't heard of it, look it up. I heard about it on Oprah. Have a great weekend!
i hope you are feeling better, too!!!!!! yucky stuff going on in there, i hope it clears out soon!!! i have sinus/allergy issues, so i know how much it sucks! ;(
and for the sp... you are beautiful, inside out & even upside down! ;-)
and the beauty you share and pour out so freely is so much, you are a generous soul!
Judy, I'm really glad you took this portrait. Thank you.
my partner has has asthma all her life, and times like this with heat and rain and heat (so. calif.) often give her such a challenge. sometimes bronchitis is involved. sinus infections can kick both our butts. I am very sorry that you are having to go through this. get better soon.
Sweet Judy, hope you are feeling better. I am soooo behind on blogs, just now catching up and find I missed the self portrait challenge, that would have been a good one for me as I struggle with insecurities about my appearance and I think its good to explore.
Glad you did :-) you are darling as usual.
xoxoox
I've seen some sp posts on a few different blogs I read, but I feel so weird about taking any myself!
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