Self-portraits by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Self Portrait as the artist looking at the future

2011-04-23T13:06:00.001-04:00

Self Portrait as the artist looking at the future

Of course, this is me YOUNGER than I am now (not really me at all). Done in Roma's with markers and pens and a little colored pencil.

The second picture is me last night with a hastily rendered copy of Cezanne's 3 Skulls done at the DIA in ordinary pencil. They have drawing sessions and provide seats, paper, pencils and easels every Friday night. And I think Sunday afternoons, too. It;'s the first time I've done it. If I do it again, I may bring my own pencils, stubs etc. It was a huge paper to fill in a short time with a pencil, and I didn't get it quite right--but I had a good time and looked CAREFULLY at the painting--more carefully than ever before.

Click images to view larger.

Self-portrait on old Indian Motorcycle

2011-03-20T12:11:00.000-04:00

I was inspired by Andrea's portrait of me in my motorcycle gear to do a self portrait on an Indian. In 1964-65 (I'm giving away my age here, if you didn't already know it), I owned a 1949 Indian. This is not it, but an older one I used for the art. I have, believe it or not, NO pictures of that amazing motorcycle. But I had fun--on the bike(s) and on the art. I did the piece in metallic markers, but you can't tell in the scan.

Backfloat

2010-12-01T16:56:00.001-05:00

or, Looking up at the sky, a bit of silliness from an image Erwin made of me. (Click image to view slightly larger).

Self-portrait of the artist as Bethany with Crown of Thorns

2010-11-12T09:59:00.001-05:00

The Human Condition II: Bethany with Crown of Thorns

Self Portrait as Witch 2010

2010-10-31T13:36:00.002-04:00

Here's my annual Witch self portrait.

Self portrait if the Artist with Andy Warhol

2010-10-26T12:19:00.002-04:00

Self portrait if the Artist with Andy Warhol, Digitally painted photo
composit, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. See original photo here.

Self-portrait at 3 Am

2010-09-15T21:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a new drawing of mine called Self-portrait at 3 AM:

In Leathers

2010-09-06T13:12:00.002-04:00

3 quick SPs

2010-08-08T11:13:00.001-04:00

Getting old! :-(

Portrait of the artist as a homeless Person

2010-07-16T23:02:00.001-04:00

Self portrait as a homess person.

"Wicked"

2010-06-25T09:38:00.003-04:00

for the Monday Artday challenge. The top one I fiddled with slightly on photoshop. The bottom one is the original off the iPad. Obviously this face is not my current face. Not really ever my face, but a self-portrait of thought, perhaps.

insomnia SP

2010-06-25T02:26:00.001-04:00

If's after 2 Am and I haven't slept a wink yet. :-(

Did this SP on iPad with Colorpad HD.

Homeless Shelter

2010-05-05T17:04:00.001-04:00

Homeless Shelter, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

Self portrait on new Mole

2009-09-09T22:02:00.003-04:00

Aged hazel

2009-07-14T12:19:00.001-04:00

Aged hazel, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.

Self-portrait of the Artist as a Camera Lens 4

2009-07-10T10:24:00.002-04:00

Self-portrait of the Artist as a Camera Lens 4, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Part of a series I'm working on. For Mick and Laura. See variation below.

Self-portrait of the Artist as a Camera Lens

2009-07-10T10:01:00.003-04:00

Self-portrait of the Artist as a Camera Lens, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.
For Mick and Laura. See alternate version above.

Self-Portrait as a Divided Woman III

2009-07-09T10:20:00.000-04:00

Variations on a theme.

Fun House Mirror

2009-05-17T11:35:00.001-04:00

OK, it's just a column at the doctor's office, but there I am.

in Carrousel

2009-05-05T23:19:00.001-04:00

me, by me

Self-Portrait of the artist as Medusa

2009-04-27T12:10:00.001-04:00

Yup, that's me all right--prolly 20 years ago, though.

updating chalk

2009-04-24T23:24:00.001-04:00

can't leave well enough alone--but I don't have blond hair!

some inner me

2009-04-24T23:08:00.001-04:00

Some inner me, artrage chalk

in the studio at Rolandale

2009-04-18T11:33:00.001-04:00

in the studio at Rolandale and happy to be here.

coming down for a landing

2009-04-04T11:24:00.001-04:00

from a short flight over the spring flowers. Self-portrait with sky.

My frog face, scarab club

2009-03-25T10:33:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I think I look like a frog.

self portrait on the way to the neurologist

2009-03-20T13:16:00.000-04:00

Going to have my brain tumor checked. It's grown, 1-2 mm, according
to the man who read the "films" (digital images).

me alone at Cranbrook

2009-03-15T11:29:00.002-04:00

I had to walk alone because BB was working on our new "cottage" guest home retreat studio.

Self portrait with BB at Belle Isle today

2009-03-06T23:56:00.002-05:00

The camera tilted so I took another. (Click to see bigger).

Self-portrait of the Artist as an insomniac 090215-0204

2009-02-15T02:03:00.001-05:00

Of course I am neither as pretty nor as young as this, but this is me
tonight, unable to sleep.

Self-portrait with Blue Light

2009-01-30T21:17:00.001-05:00

The blue Light is supposed to help me sleep better. Maybe it does, a little.

ancient, and getting ancienter

2009-01-28T09:59:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, we all get old, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Taken while cross country skiing, by me, with my new Canon digital
elph. (tiny pocket camera.)

Self Portrait in Mirror

2009-01-21T23:02:00.001-05:00

Self Portrait in Mirror, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. A water Color self
portrait for my water media class.

Self-portrail of the artist with a Hawk Skull

2009-01-19T21:03:00.001-05:00

Self-portrait of the Artist with a Hawk Skull, by Mary Stebbins Taitt.
I am taking my second-ever water-media class and did this self
portrait in water color for a take-home assignment, but it doesn't
look much like me, even though all the parts are relatively similar.
I like it anyway (though it is not without flaws).

another Sissy sketch

2009-01-18T12:09:00.001-05:00

An attempt at a self-portrait from childhood

Sissy with Frogs

2009-01-18T12:01:00.001-05:00

Sissy, the protagonist in my Y.A. novel, Frog Haven, is based in part
on my child-self.

Self Portrait with Dream I

2009-01-18T11:34:00.001-05:00

Self Portrait with Dream I, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. A take-home
assignment for my water media class with Charlie.

Self-portrait reflected in an autumn pond

2008-11-03T00:09:00.001-05:00

Self-portrait reflected in an autumn pond.

Self-portrait of the artist as a Shaman at an Autumn Pond

2008-10-15T12:23:00.001-04:00

Self-portrait of the artist as a Shaman at an Autumn Pond, done in
Mike Kline's Bog Book. Composed of dots, like a pixelated photo. She
(I) is (am) not haughty (I hope), but instead, skeptical and careful.

Cook Forest

2008-10-01T16:58:00.001-04:00

Self Portrait at Cook Forest with tent.

Self-portrait in my new poetry shirt

2008-09-29T21:58:00.001-04:00

I made this for the Dodge Poetry festival.

Self Portrait of the Artist as a Sunflower

2008-09-29T21:55:00.001-04:00

YUP. A sunflower. OK, I'm weird.

Self Portrait with Memory Filter

2008-09-16T20:45:00.002-04:00

Self portrait with Memory Filter, By Mary Stebbins Taitt.

My new policy is that I am putting all self-portraits here, even if I
posted them somewhere else.

Self-portrait with Roses and Checkerboard Wind

2008-09-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

Self-portrait with Roses and Checkerboard Wind, by Mary Stebbins
Taitt; digitally composited and altered photos, also by me. (I am
wearing my new necklace.)

With Bone Star Necklace

2008-09-05T11:39:00.001-04:00

I just made this necklace on Labor Day. Read about it here.

Self-portrait with Johnny Norms

2008-08-20T12:46:00.001-04:00

YAY! New sketches arrove!

Self Portrait in "Light"

2008-07-05T12:45:00.001-04:00

well, in a light fixture

Deep in the Forest, self portrait with leaves

2008-06-19T13:23:00.003-04:00

Deep in the Forest, self portrait with leaves, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. In Celebration of digital images, I created this by hand with dots of ink. It took a long time. Some pens worked better than others. Some wouldn't make a dot unless I moved them a little and then they made a dash. :-( Some pens made tiny dots and some made big dots. But here is is. Including a detail. (It doesn't really look that much like me, and makes me look younger than I am. It's more a self-portrait of my inner self, LOL!)

Self-portrait with haircut.

2008-06-03T17:14:00.000-04:00

Self-portrait with haircut. I cut my hair today. I cut off more than
a foot which I will probably send to locks of love. However, I am
unemployed and they no longer provide mailing labels, so I may not.

One of these brais is from today and the other was cut when I was 14 years old.

Self Portrait at the Pinery

2008-05-27T13:23:00.002-04:00

First morning at the Pinery. It was very cold during the night, so
cold I had trouble sleeping!

Out in the fog

2008-05-16T09:40:00.002-04:00

Along the Milk River yesterday.

sepia variant

2008-05-12T10:57:00.002-04:00

Me, at the quarry, in sepia.

Self-portrail with vultures

2008-03-04T22:38:00.001-05:00

dreamland sp

The Crepuscular Emergence of the Inner Beast Self Portrait as a Coyote III

2008-02-06T14:37:00.002-05:00

The Crepuscular Emergence of the Inner Beast Self Portrait as Coyote, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. (Only half beast during the transformation periods?)

Self-Portrait of the artist reflected in an Autumn Pond II

2008-01-30T11:31:00.001-05:00

This is a variation on a photoart piece I did yesterday. It's a fairly
recent picture of me, not one from long ago. I enjoy doing variations
on a theme. I was considering doing another variation called the Ace
of spades and maybe one called the Ace of Hearts. Can you see where
I'm going with that? If I ever have time to play, that is.

I am expecting my mother in law for an early dinner this afternoon so
probably will not be on-line much today.

Self-portrait of the Artist Reflected in an Autumn Pond

2008-01-29T15:33:00.001-05:00

Self-portrait of the Artist Reflected in an Autumn Pond, by Mary
Stebbins Taitt. This was done in a combination of Picasa and
Irfanview with the leaves added afterward in Photoshop. Click image
to view larger.

Me, as a cartoon

2007-09-17T17:04:00.000-04:00

younger and skinnier than I really am.

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

2007-08-16T14:22:00.000-04:00

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

2007-06-06T23:02:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-25T09:17:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-17T21:08:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-17T14:04:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-17T12:48:00.000-04:00

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

Juvenalia: Self Portrait with Empty Eyes 3

2007-05-17T12:34:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

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!)

2007-05-16T13:51:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-07T16:31:00.000-04:00

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

2007-02-13T09:23:00.000-05:00

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

Back from our walk

2007-02-03T22:56:00.000-05:00

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

Self-Portrait with Rose

2007-01-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

The rose is for my Mom who died Tuesday.

Me

2006-12-17T23:31:00.000-05:00

Neil and Laura's new house.

In the Pennsylvania Wilds in November Rain

2006-11-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

Me, by me. I was alone. Long Drive, 13 hours! The Pennsylvania WIlds were pretty, I'd love to go back!

Passing Through

2006-11-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

I took this picture of myself at Niagara the other night, passing through on my way from Detroit to Syracuse. It was a 45 second time exposure and I moved into the picture to represent the transience of my existence in this place and in the world.

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T16:01:00.000-05:00

Here I am in all my glory!

Have a Happy Halloween!

Witchy me

2006-10-24T13:30:00.000-04:00

Here I am in my witch hat. Happy Halloween!!!

At the Quarry

2006-09-22T23:51:00.000-04:00

This is my new "favorite" place to walk and it was beautiful there today. I like it because I love to explore and discover and there is so much unexplored territory.

With someone: Three Generations

2006-09-19T23:57:00.000-04:00

Here I am with my mother and my daughters, at the nursing home where my mother lives. Taking her out for a walk is a regular metronomic part of my weeks, when I'm in NY. I am so pleased with we have a loving and supportive family.

With Mom at Loretto

2006-09-14T14:15:00.000-04:00

I'm 60 (I can hardly believe it!) and my Mom is 83. (She can't believe it either.) In some ways, I still feel like a kid. Other ways not--too tired, for example. And I'm not such a good kid of today, more technology than I can keep up with. And the days go by so FAST!! It's scary. Twice a week, I visit my Mom, sometimes more. If I'm away, she sometimes forget who I am. That's so sad and scary. I take her for a walk at the nursing home. This is behind Loretto, where she now lives.

This is for the "with someone" challenge for Self Portrait Challenge.

with my baby brother

2006-09-05T23:08:00.000-04:00

Here I am with Tom, my baby brother. Time flies when you're having fun, and the older you get, the faster it passes. I blurred myself out a little because I like to pretend I'm not really over 60!!!!

For Self-portrait Challenge Septmeber theme.

In the touch-me-nots

2006-09-05T22:47:00.000-04:00

Hauling brush and the dumpster

2006-08-08T20:08:00.000-04:00

I spent over an hour hauling brush today for Erin and Mark to grind up in the dumpster. I'm headed back in,s tanding in front of the dumpster the roof guys used. (I published a similar but not identical picture on usnfriends.)

Goo goo goggles

2006-08-05T23:46:00.000-04:00

Goo goo goggles, I'm no raving beauty, that's for sure. I'm wearing these glasses in attempt to see Tiny Toby, my Libretto travel computer.

The Garbage Queen

2006-07-20T16:55:00.000-04:00

The Garbage Queen, self portrait by Mary Stebbins. My Days are marked by the filling and carrying out of garbage. Every y, dy after day. No end in sight. No airconditioning, either.

Popart Me 1

2006-06-06T10:22:00.000-04:00

Popart Me 1, by Mary Stebbins. Click image to view larger. I am getting married in three days so I didn't have time to really play on Photoshop and I did this in Irfanview. By the way, I do not have blue eyes, my eyes are hazel (green and brown). If I had more time to play I'd have done this a little differently.

The eyes represent seeing, awareness, the self as a window to the world. They eyes as a window to the self, to an dfrom the "other" or that which appears to separate.

Self-portrait with Coyote

2006-06-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

Self-portrait with Coyote, by Mary Stebbins. Click imag to view larger. I did this to indicate my "wild nature."

For Self Portrait Challenge "Introductions."

Introductions week 3

2006-05-16T00:28:00.000-04:00

I love nature and I love walking in the woods or other natural places. Nature is one of the great loves of my life. Even in the rain--it's raining here. I'm an environmentalist.

This unlike the last two, is a straight photo. The only thing crooked about it is a broken cement "body" (statuary) at the base of the tree in the middle of the woods.

This is this week's picture. (For Tuesday May 16). I posted two pictures this week, because I couldn't get my picture to post last week--I tried repeatedly. Hopefully this will not happen again.

for Self-portrait challenge.

PS, I am getting married June 10.

Angels and Devils 3

2006-05-09T00:52:00.000-04:00

Angels and Devils 3, part of a series, by Mary Stebbins. Click on image to view larger.

for Self-Portrait Challenge introductions.

I took this picture of myself in the bathroom mirror this morning. There are multiple mirror panels and a mirror behind all reflecting my face. I am a Gemini, and am supposed to have multiple personalities. I think we all do. I obviously like to take pictures.

Self portrait in a Bower of Shadows

2006-05-08T12:41:00.000-04:00

Self portrait in a Bower of Shadows, by Mary Stebbins. Click image to view larger.

Self-Portrait in Barn Window

2006-05-05T01:26:00.000-04:00

Self-Portrait in Barn Window, by Mary Stebbins. Click on image to view larger.

"What a Long Strange Trip it's Been!"

2006-05-02T23:34:00.000-04:00

Hello, let me introduce myself. I'm Mary, and I seem to be on this long strange trip, even in my dreams! Moving onward. (Click on image to view larger)

More than you ever wanted to know.

A Long Strange Trip

2006-05-02T23:18:00.000-04:00

Hello, let me introduce myself. I'm Mary, and I seem to be on this long strange trip.

Space theme for Monday Artday

2006-04-24T12:27:00.000-04:00

Space Woman lands in Hamlin Marsh, self-portrait for Monday Artday.

April Theme: Fool: self-portrait upon arrival

2006-04-18T22:53:00.000-04:00

Self-portrait upon Splashdown at Hamlin Marsh, too bad I crashed my ship. At least Im still alive. YAY! Now to find out what earthlings are like.

MY triumph Tiger and me, with Keith

2006-04-10T13:23:00.000-04:00

Does driving a bright orange tiger-striped motorcycle count as foolishness? That's my bike. Click on image to view larger.

Self Portrait with Keith and bikes

2006-04-10T13:05:00.000-04:00

We went to Belle Isle yesterday and I took this shot of us and our bikes and sepia-toned it. Click on image to view larger.

The Fool: Me, with Lampshade

2006-04-03T16:28:00.000-04:00

The Fool: Me, with Lampshade. I'm not feeling very silly or foolish, as I've just learned I have a brain tumor. But here I am, making the attempt anyway!!

(Read a poem I'm working on about my brain tumor.)

April Fool: meet ratty

2006-04-01T16:18:00.000-05:00

Hi, My name is Ratty, I lost all my fur and my eyes. I have only my bones left.

I've always loves skulls and bones, but now that I suddenly have this brain tumor, it seems like a morbid preoccupation, in a way.

April Fool 1: Tryling to flly through the rain

2006-04-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

April Fool 1: Tryling to fly through the rain, or what? And people on the sidewalk staring--what? We need a theme that doesn't make us look QUITE so stupid. LOL!!! Click on image to see larger (as if you'd want to!)

My parents got married on April fool's day, 5 years later had an april fool son, and my daughter also married an April fool.

Self-portrait as a Ceramic Tile

2006-03-31T23:15:00.000-05:00

Self-portrait as a Ceramic Tile, photo by Mary Stebbins. Click on image to view larger. For Mick Mather, Val, and Kate. See Original images.

This is my "Time" submission for March for Self-portraits as art rather than history. It represent time because of the old-time ceramic tiles and the "aged' sepaia treatment.

Time: Visiting my Mother at the Nursing Home

2006-03-31T13:01:00.000-05:00

Today is the last ay of the time series. I wanted to do some more artistic ones, but I just didn't have time--LOL

I'd like to talk about self-portraits as history and self portraits as art, but I don't have time right now. Time, arghhh! Wish it were endlessly expandable.

My mom is in the nursing home because she had a brain tumor. I send a lot of time visitng her. I've just learned that I too have a brain tumor. My time as a lucid being is threatened.