Mirrorless Self-Portrait Series, Sketch #1

I have an idea for an art series: The Mirrorless Self-Portrait. Recently I listened to an interesting podcast on CBC radio's Ideas program called, "Silver and Exact", an hour long show in which "Karen Virag explores the history and cultural significance of the mirror."

In the show, a woman described her experience of living a whole year without looking into a mirror. She described intense loneliness. Of becoming obsessed with her shadow to know she existed. It changed her; she undertook the odyssey because she wanted to look outwards more than inwards. I was fascinated.

My idea for this series is to draw or paint a portrait of myself without looking in a mirror or at a photograph.

I bought a new Moleskine A3 Sketchbook with a gift certificate my dear brother gave me. So today I began...







A sketch in the first of my 'Mirrorless Self-Portraits' Series. Not sure where I'll take it next.

... this, without looking into a mirror or at a photo. I'm intrigued by the idea of what will emerge in such a 'self-portrait.' I reminded myself, 'you wash this face every day, apply moisturizers, sometimes eyeliner, lip colour, surely you can remember the contours of your own face...' But I found myself feeling my face as I drew the way a sculptor might. It was odd, that. I tried to get the wrinkles in, I did.

Mirrorless Self-Portrait Series, sketch 1 (and detail), 28.5cm x 42cm, 11 1/4" x 16 1/2", graphite, watercolour pencils, Cretacolor aquastics, copper leaf in a Moleskine A3 Sketchbook.
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Ice-Gripping Tread Covers

I wore ice-gripping tread covers on my boots into the subway. It was like wearing tap dancing shoes with the embedded metal studs, noisy but with a rhythm. However, the cleats slipped this way and that, turning the stone floors into sheets of slippery ice. Clinging to railings on the stairs got me to the station platform. On the train I pulled them off the soles of my boots. Other passengers, unsure what I was doing, trying not to appear to be looking, watched them flop, beached fish from a hole in a frozen lake as I threw them wet and salty with slush onto newspaper.



Image: 'STABILicers Lite Cleat Traction Device' pulled over mustard boots.
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*They're new; I bought them for dog walks to help prevent falls.
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2013 begins...

Can't think of a New Year's where I had as much fun as last night. We had Paris Black all to ourselves, a small private party at the Epique Lounge in Yorkville, the way it worked out, Paris singing with a band in top form, powerful and simply gorgeous, freedom on the dance floor. I was a bit crazy with dancing - my knees are so sore today! swollen, and now I remember why I had to stop dancing some years ago lol - and I drank more than I have in years. Got up briefly at 9 am, put sweats and a down jacket over my jammies, took the dog out, decided I was still a bit drunk, went back to bed and slept till 3 pm. Unheard of! But I feel released of many issues and tensions, and a deep healing within. Dancing is the way.




I wore the lace dress my dear daughter gave me for Christmas, and I've included some Christmas Day photos of it. The first one is my daughter's photograph; the second two were taken by my niece. Thank you you beauties!!! I have a thing about showing too much of my personal life, so no family pics. My living room is half studio, a bit crowded but that made it so much more fun! Not. But everyone was good spirited about it. Hope everyone had a lovely holiday, however you celebrated it, and many good wishes for 2013. Sending love and best wishes to all. xo



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Wishing you all a wonderful and fulfilling 2013!

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I must not let this blog go. It is an archive where I can come and quickly look for things. With Facebook and G+, though, I am finding it hard to post in triplicate so that I have a copy here. Sorry, dear readers! Blog comes first, the other stuff, which disappears nearly instantly anyhow, is definitely secondary. So shall be my New Year's resolution. Promise!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxooxxo

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Editing Complexity

I can't believe how complex the structures of these prose poems that I'm editing are, and how much work it is to organize some of them, their patterns of imagery and the other thought processes lying beneath the delicately engraved metaphors. They're my pieces, but geez. Every read through brings up more knots, which I gently massage with verbal acuity (let's hope!) until it doesn't ache anymore.

I'm preparing a manuscript for a potential chap book.

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Solstice Greetings

direct link: http://youtu.be/IS8fq256b84

A Solsticean video poem to celebrate Solstice and to wish you a fine and elegant year ahead. It's the end of an eon, apparently - may you embark on the new era with vigor and brilliance.
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