Sunday, February 10, 2013

Maria at 61 - self portrait

Maria at 61
8 x 8
Oil on Raymar Panel

Happy Birthday to me!!!

I like painting self portraits.  It is a great time for experimentation and I am a convenient model since I am always there.  To celebrate my 61st birthday I decided to paint a quick self portrait...and right off the heels of my 30 in 30 artists portraits I felt the timing was good.  For those of you who think I paint myself too harshly (Mom) I do it as an exercise to help me learn.  I am constantly trying new colors, color combinations, brushes, strokes and styles and this is the perfect time to try new things.  

Every decade of my life has been monumental in some way.  I don't remember an age I did not like.  Every age has its challenges...but the benefits far outweigh any obstacles.  

So...here I go  Maria at 61...Happy Birthday to me!!!

15 comments:

  1. Amazingly and beautifully done! And just so proud of you! I always admire confidence, determination and fearlessness in friends and you are at the top of that list! Happy Happy Birthday dear friend!! Hugs!

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  2. Happy Birthday Maria.
    I love that you use self portraits to learn from. I think thats an excellent
    idea. Once after I had gotten a hair cut and complained to my friend and neighbor that one side was much shorter than the other, I drew a self portrait in ball point pen. I thought it was a pretty good likeness ... when my neighbor saw it she said "you really didn't like the hair cut did you ... you drew your hair with one side shorter". Funny, I didn't even notice it when I was drawing it.
    I love the way you do eyes ... yours are excellent!

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  3. happy birthday Maria! love this self portrait!

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  4. We older, grey-haired chicks needs to stick together-I just got my medicare card in the mail!! Great self-portrait. Happy Birthday one day earlier (you're only 60 today)!

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  5. MARIA!!!!!! Didn't you just turn 60?!! Good grief this year has flown!! You don't look a year older. You are fabulous inside and outside! And your art just gets better and better! Love this portrait!!!

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

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  6. Happy Birthday! I was just popping over from hearing you on the Artists Helping Artists blog show, and here I get to say more than hello and actually extend birthday greetings... how fabulous! Really enjoyed hearing your tips and perspective and grinned seeing the reference to your mom above, after hearing what you said during the show. Hope you've had a great birthday.

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  7. So amazing and I am so glad you use self portraits to learn and experiment, a great way to bring in a new year of with a zest for life! Happy Birthday!

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  8. I think self portraits are the hardest because we are used to seeing our image in the mirror..you did a fabulous job on yours! Hope you have a splendid birthday and enjoy every moment!!! : )

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  9. This is wonderful Maria. I love the lighting and the soft hair. I just painted my first ever portrait study, for my Duchess of Cambridge challenge and I LOVED doing it. Wow! So exciting when the brushstrokes start to become a living person. So thrilling to have control, to eliminate wrinkles and put a sparkle in the eye. Riveting! And it is such an intimate experience.

    I have attended several workshops over the years where you go back through your life and visit yourself. They have been very powerful. As I was looking at your birthday portrait it occurred to me that it would be even more powerful to visit your younger selves in paintings. There are probably birthday photos each year to help you along the way. That idea is certainly going on my todo list. Wow! I'm on fire.

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  10. You know you could always "photoshop" yourself with your paintbrush, but you do learn so much more painting from "real life." Love your portrait! Have a wonderful day and a happy "birth"day to your mom!

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  11. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIA!!!! This is wonderful...perfect skin tones and light and I commend you painting a self-portrait...it's painted beautifully!

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  12. Happy Birthday, Maria! I would only do a self portrait if I were a tree or a sunset! Alas.

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  13. Happy Birthday week, Maria. (My 59th is Sunday.) Sometimes I wonder how I got to be so old when I wasn't paying attention. I really like your self portrait. I think it takes guts to paint in front of the mirror.

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  14. Maria! I was thinking the very same as Linda - you just turned 60! But isn't it wonderful to still look forward to all the good things each day and each year brings? For instance the continued growth and development of your talent. Your portraits just keep getting better! Have a wonderful birthday Friend!

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  15. Beautiful portrait of beautiful you. Compelling and fresh and fantastic.
    Happy Birthday!!
    Liz

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Yayyy!!! Thanks for commenting!