I like faces, I love portraits, my favourite museum is the National Portrait Gallery and my favourite TV show is ‘Portrait Artist of the Year.
I have quite a few faces surrounding me in the house and studio, paintings, figurines, postcards with famous self portraits, kitschy vases with faces, candles with Saints, you name it.
Historically artists used self portraits as a kind of business card, showing their skills. The sitters would use their portrait to show their power, wealth, importance and taste.
So yes, I love the faces , they are a great inspiration for me, they are human, real, emotional and tell us about life.
But……they are also my nemesis. I can’t paint faces to save my life. The only decorations with faces I make are the angels and the Morris men and oh boy when someone asks for personalisation such as a ginger beard, pig tails or bushy black mustache I panic.
So painting a face for me is not a way to show my skills. Sad but true. Anything beyond 3 dots and a little half moon is complete beyond me and even with only 3 dots and the little half circle I sometimes manage to create grumpy angels that end up in the seconds basket…..I will keep practicing because I need to do better! Will keep you informed about the progress
