The first ideas for this online initiative while we are all on lockdown was titled;
“We want to see you; you want to see us.”
The idea is to make a self-portrait in any medium and send it to the Monday morning WhatsApp group and/or the Instagram #orangeartgroup.
The second phase of this project is titled; “A self-portrait with housemates.”
These may be real, imagined or remembered people who your share your home with now, who you shared your home with in the past or who you would wish to share your home with.
It is interesting to use materials that you enjoy and that work with your portrait. I did a very conservative charcoal drawing of myself which did not feel like me. I was much happier once I had torn it up and collaged it. Most of the work in the WhatsApp group looks very interesting, well made and well matched to the portrait. I hope, like Hester you may decide to change materials or to set new challenges. You might use black and white, no colour, or you may go fully into high colour. If you are running out of supplies the local corner shops often have glue, pencil crayons etc. you can always collage with found objects including photographs, magazines, old books and lappies.
There have been good comments and lots of encouragement in the what’s ap group. It is really difficult to get a sense of the work in any of these virtual mediums. I found the questions that Maggie asked about her work helped me engage with the portrait. Perhaps we can all ask more specific questions if you are wanting comments. Also writing about how you are making your work, the materials, the ideas, the tools are very useful.
If you are transposing from portraits, copying a self-portrait that you love that someone else has done, please share it with us too. That person may be someone you share your space with.
Lastly, I really have researched the online options and I am sorry to say that the Instagram option is the best for us. The gallery is building slowly and well. Thank you for assisting one another; I am sure we will all learn a new and valuable skill by the end of April.
The third phase of the project will be out on Thursday the 16th of April.
Let me know if you want to be added to the orange street what’s ap groups and the #orangeartgroup.
Jill Trappler. 0825588115
Thanks for being interactive and letting us all into your worlds; keeping an eye on each other is helpful as we remain isolated.