Self Portrait Challenge

The Quilters Studio – Art Quilt Challenge 2^nd Saturday of month 10:30 am (Sept to May)

Challenge #18 Self Portrait April 9th/due May 14^th Note: this is the last meeting before summer break

Self-portraits have been a method of self-exploration since humans first gazed at their own reflection in a pool of water. With the invention of the mirror came an even stronger fascination to capture one's likeness. And even within the past ten years, the public's fascination with the way an artist sees him/herself has led to exhibitions like the National Self-Portrait Collection in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

Self-portraits can be carefully staged to show the audience only what the artist wishes to project, or deeply revealing, displaying feelings of anguish and pain or joyfulness. Self-portraits have been used to test new techniques, make a signature mark, launch into self-study, remember the past, and as a way to release emotion. Whichever way artists choose to construct their images, they are each forced to study their own personas both physically and emotionally

Our challenge for this month is to create a self portrait of any kind…straight forward, abstract, distorted, symbolic, or anything else. It can look like you or not, it can be something about you rather than of you, it can be anything that represents you (even your totem animal or alter ego!)

Highly recommended book: Mixed Media Self-Portraits by Cate Coulacos Prato

Links:

http://layersofmeaning.org/wp/?p=105 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/flower-quiz

http://www.kansasartquilters.org/Exhibits/Upon-reflection/index.html

http://psdcollector.blogspot.com/2010/10/creative-self-portraits-ideas-30.html

http://www.squidoo.com/self-portraits-in-textiles http://www.redbubble.com/explore/abstract+face

http://wn.com/THE_CREATORS_Artist's_Self_Portraits http://www.quiltart.com/sp/quilts.html

http://aroundtheworldin20quilts.blogspot.com/search/label/self%20portrait