Friday 6 November 2015

Self-portrait Exhibition

This project seems to go on and on, not that I'm complaining because I'm getting quite excited to see all my portraits together in one space. In fact, I'm a little frightened as well. This will certainly be an experience.

The poster:

There is also a lot of wordy bits to go with it.

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There were rules for this set of drawings: 1.        One a day.
2.        No longer than 30 mins for each one.
3.        Use whatever medium comes to hand quickly.
4.        Play.
 My decision to have them A4 was for ease of storage, but at initiation the sizes were more random. This exhibition is a very personal uncovering, as it were, of my many moods. The drawings began in November 2014, and by that time due to the lack of light, my mood had already dropped considerably. I usually feel this coming on in September and the low moods begin to lift around February. One of the ways I can describe the feelings are as if I’m trying to wade through treacle, everything is such an incredible effort that I’m exhausted. This in turn lowers self-esteem that contributes to lack of creativity. Trying to make any kind of decision is a joke and it is at these times discipline or ritual comes into its own. To concentrate on drawing as the beginning to a day enabled me to rid myself of a lot of my low thoughts. Yes, there were a few times that I was unable to accomplish the portrait for that day. Sometimes because of work commitments but also there were a few instances that I felt too low to draw at all, therefore, 3 or 4 were occasionally completed together. These were the best days. The intention behind these portraits is not to make a finished piece. They are play, exploration and ritual, initiating the focusing of the mind. Allowing me to be in the present moment where it is impossible to worry or be anxious. Abraham Maslow, the American psychologist had this to say, “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”
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