Tuesday 8 June 2010

Portrait of the artist as a young man.

One of the most interesting aspects of being a painter is looking back at your own work after 'decades'. It may sound unbelievable, but I have even been shown old stuff of mine that I completely failed to recognise.

Old portraits and landscapes are always fascinating. To see how things have changed through your own 'painters' eyes, is always far more poignant than looking through the work of others, or even photography.

For example, my children love this old student-days self-portrait. It reminds them of when THEY were young, carefree, and did childhood things. I suppose it takes them back to a time when they remember me as a young dad. Of us moving out here to France. Buying a big old farmstead. Of me being totally irresponsible.

I, on the other hand, look at it and wonder what on earth happened to all those years between when I sat lazily painting it..... and now!


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13 comments:

  1. Those were the days!! What year would that have been?

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  2. Oh my, how wonderful, time does fly as they say but it most definately makes us what we are today (yes older I supose!).
    sue

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  3. What is time anyway, but a strict account of life moment by moment without any allowance for real and forever?

    Wonderful painting.

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  4. Amy, time is a pain in the arse. It says 'Get on with it, idiot; your time's nearly up'. It's only when you grapple with all the time that's passed, that you realise how precious it is/was!

    A la recherche du temps perdu.

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  5. That portrait is really good, Cro. Actually comparing with your photo, you've worn well! What a fantastic keepsake for your grandchildren.

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  6. Hi Cro, to non painters you have a great gift to leave behind,all we have is photo's taken with not so great cameras,the thing about a painting is that it has warmth,character and when you touch it ,makes you dream about the day,the person,the time that it was done.
    Carole

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  7. This self portrait is marvelous. I hope it's hanging in a special place in your home.

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  8. I think I remember that one Cro, well, the subject anyway. Is the Hawaii beauty just out of shot?

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  9. It does have that look about it. I quite expect you saw it being worked on at the time.

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  10. You appear to be whistling in this self-portrait!

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  11. I think I was probably concentrating.

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  12. It appears to have a tad of the Japanese design influence. I love that style and you put in a twist of your own. It's one of those portraits that follows you around the room. Very cool!

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