Me, as a cartoon

younger and skinnier than I really am.

Self-Portrait of the Artist as an Insomniac #070814-5 gold and green

Self-Portrait of the Artist as an Insomniac #070814-5 gold and green, by Mary Stebbins Taitt (for Keith Taitt and Mick Mather). This is 8A and 8B in the series (the green one is 8A and the gold one is 8B.) Click images to see larger. Go here to see more and get a link to still more if interested. By the way, each of these (all of them in the series) is different in other ways besides just color, though in some cases, the differences are pretty subtle).

Environment: In the Eye of the Man I love

For Self-Portrait Challenge: My environment: I made this for the "environment challenge" with my new screw on close-up lenses. (I have a macro too). The first one is the actual "submission" as my first self-portrait in the environment--it is a smudge painting made from a crop of the lower picture. The second one shows where it came from. If you look closely, you can see flowers (yellow irises, etc) and a pond and trees reflected in husband's eye, as well as me, taking the picture. It's the environment I love best--being with my husband in nature. Click images to view larger. I interact with the environment in part by taking pictures and making paintings of it.

On the Street: ROOM ROOM

This is my second entry for the May "on the Street" theme of the self portrait challenge.

Yes, this IS my motorcycle. I have two of them.

Juvenalia Restoration Attempt

One of my old drawing from 40 or so years ago was stuck to a painting and had disintegrated from the dampness in my parents' basement. In order to free the painting, I had to destroy the drawing, which I photographed first and then set about to restore (on a long trip, while Biker Buddy was driving.) Although the original piece was nothing particluarly exciting, I discovered that restoring it was not that simple. I learned a lot about line weight and line grace and movement which probably doesn't show in my attempt, but at least I gained some understanding (if not expertise).

On the Street

Here is my first post for the Self Portrait challenge, "On the Street." It is my mother, shortly before she died, my daughter, and I. I am the one at the top right kneeling. Not all streets are the same. (Click image to view larger.) (I have also just posted some juvenalia self-portraits.)

Although we are all smiling here, I have yet to come to terms with my mother's recent death.

Juvenalia: Self portriat by firelight

Here is another of my early self-portraits, pastels.

Juvenalia: Self Portrait with Empty Eyes 3

This is another in the series of self portraits with empty eyes from 1964 or maybe even 1963. Sometimes I liked to imagine I was an Indian (Native American) and that my hair was black with bluish highlights. None of these pictures really look like me. As I mentioned in other posts, they were more an illustration of mood and spiritual state then physical self. This one is tempera on black construction paper and was quite damaged by age and moisture (from the basement at my parents' house). If this one had a name, I don't remember it, and it wasn't labelled.

Juvenalia: Self portrait in High School

I would estimate this self portrait for 1964, but that is an estimate. It is tempera on black construction paper and somewhat damaged by time, dampness and wrinkling. I don't remember now, 47 years later, if I finished it and this was what I'd intended, or if I gave it up as a bad job or what, but it has the blank eyes of a number of other self portraits from that period.

I am attempting to post this from Picasa again (do I never learn?) so it may not post at first. If not, I may post it again, when I have time.

It was apparently copied from a photo taken by Hal Phillips. (I think the photo is probably backwards in this iteration.) (I called this "Catch her in the Rye.")

I accidentally posted this to the wrong blog. I was going to move it, but instead, I copied it, so if you see it in two blogs, that's why (I apologize).

Juvenalia: Self Portrait at about 20 (Paint by numbers--NOT!)

When I was about 20, I did this self portrait. It doesn't look anything like what I looked like physically, but gives you an idea of how I felt emotionally and spiritually at the time.

An odd thing is that I must have painted it on a paint by numbers canvas, because if you look closely, you can see the paint by numbers lines in the cheeks and elsewhere. (I did NOT paint this by numbers.)

It is also damaged from being stored in a wet basement. At some point, I may make some efforts to recover it.

I have been away a LONG time and off-line (unable to access the internet) and now that I have returned, I am swamped! It will be a while before I can post regularly!

Self Portrait 5/7/07 Sketch

Self-portrait Sketch 5/7/07, done while waiting on the phone on hold. I was unable to see myself, so it is purely imaginary and prolly reflects mood better than substance.

I'm back-posting this because I was incommunicado when I did it.

Self Portrait as an Insomniac

I have insomnia. I can't sleep. It's wretched.

Back from our walk

The restroom at Stony Creek, after our walk. It was near zero F and very windy. 

Self-Portrait with Rose

The rose is for my Mom who died Tuesday.