self portrait

This is me. My self portrait:
I really love this piece; a mixed media that I had such a great time doing. I started by using some cardboard coasters that I had saved from our restaurant outings. These are squares

that measure 4x4 and I glued them with gel medium onto a 16 x 20 canvas. They fit perfect-

surprise!!!! that was not even planned.. just happened beautifully! Then I painted over the coasters with white acrylic and then other faint colors. This is a close up showing the coasters. I love background texture and am always thinking of new ways of create this. I left the canvas blank

white behind the coasters which leaves the exposed intersections showing through.. and I was happy with it. I know I will do this kind of background again!

This mixed media piece is about how sometimes we feel

so not understood. How people perceive who you are without even really knowing you. And I am talking about people, even family, who think they know you, and don't.

It's not so much that they are wrong, but that they assume they KNOW and are telling you blatantly that they know you. No, I think, you don't even begin to really know who I am.

When I started this piece, out of frustration of this feeling, I thought about the weight of these people's "assumed knowing" and how it obscures the real you to them. You are present but they don't see the real you.

I used the roots growing across the face to symbolize

how encroaching this feels to me. But the comfort of

my own being, my nest of reality with my blackbird always present to remind me of my true spirit, keeps

the roots from overwhelming me, which is why they are not clinging to my head. There are days when the weight slows me down, but thankfully, I can

grab this weight and fling it away. And be me. Fully. Truly.