Self-portrait

[Alexandra Tyng]

Many, many thanks, Kim, Ilaria, Cindy, Lacey, Terri, Bonfim and Linda! You are all such terrific artists, and supportive friends, too.

Just to answer a couple of questions--I'm not left-handed; this is a mirror-image of me. The idea is that the canvas is the mirror. If you look at the "wall of inspiration" (Cindy, I like that) behind me, you will notice that everything is a mirror image of itself. My husband took digital photos, which I flipped horizontally and used to figure out the composition. Then I put a mirror up close and finished the face from life.

I really dress like that when I paint--but I made that sweater look a heck of a lot better than it does in real life. It is my favorite painting sweater and it has holes and is very stretched out. I'm just too lazy to put on a smock, and I pay for it because I keep getting cadmium orange and thalo green on my clothing.

[Tom Edgerton]

Ditto to what Linda said...I just love the way you lay down the paint.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Alex, ditto to Tom and Tom's ditto of Linda, well I just ditto everyone, this is wonderful!

I especially want to ditto on the wardrobe, wow this is a very formal painting outfit aye?

[Carol Norton]

Alex,

I have such a high degree of respect for your work that I must express how much I envy your canvas. Just the change in perspective (how the canvas sees you...) that this self-portrait offers, encourages me to look at self-portraits differently. I absloutely love the painting and the creative skill that it took to make this such a dynamite portait. My thoughts are already spinning off into new avenues and giving me the courage to try new ideas. Thank you for posting this. You are an inspiration.

Carol Norton

[Alexandra Tyng]

Oh, Carol!

You are so sweet to say these things! I'm thrilled that I can possibly inspire anyone. But come to think of it I'm inspired by other people's work, so if that leads us to think of our own new and better ways of creating, then we are all benefitting from seeing each other's work and raising the bar a little higher.