Visual Memoir
"Age Observed"by Cynthia Oliver
Pencil on Paper 2005
Thinking about the Glass Guild project piqued my interest with the concept of Self Portrait.
A cast glass sculpture of a face that is taken from life begins with a molded impression taken from the subject, and ends with a three dimensional replication of flesh and bone. Unless modified, it is simply a representation without interpretation. A cast taken from a face is a record of a visage, but not necessarily of who that face belongs to, who that person is. I wondered what it would look like if altered and molded as an interpretation. More specifically, how would I modify my own cast image to represent myself as I wanted to be seen.
I decided to explore the idea of Self Portrait, and how I would want to describe myself. What would I want to show, and how would I show it? How do I see myself, and what do I want to expose? In essence, a self portrait is a visual memoir, and as the author, I can choose whether to embellish, obscure, or lay clear before you my reality. What would I do? How would I write this brief memoir?
I started with sketches. I am aging, and it is interesting to watch my appearance evolve. I can see the years of abuse, exposure and experience displayed and expressed on my face and body. I wanted to illustrate that life rather than hide it. I wanted those lines to describe a life lived. For me, sketching is a fact finding process, and what I was seeing, and putting down on paper, was more than lines as an expression of age.
"Outside Looking In"
by Cynthia Oliver
Pencil on Paper. 2005
The "Outside Looking In" drawing went beyond a description of what I saw, and became more about who I am - about who I think I am. This drawing is unfinished, yet it well describes my sense of being on the outside of things, and of being an observer more than a participant. I pay attention to the small moments around me. I draw them, I paint them, I tell stories about them. This sketch is drawn from an angle and perspective that is a bit outside of the picture plane, a bit out of frame, it's me, standing on the outside, looking in.
posted by Cynthia Oliver at
14:12
2 Comments:
Your thoughts are similar to mine. You express many of the feelings I have. It is wonderful that you are open and share them.
I feel as though I am emerging from a chrysalis and am going to take my true shape. That for years I have been in a cocoon and only now in my "later" years am I focusing on becoming who I see myself on the inside as being. I love your sketches and thoughts. I always like what you write on the warmglass board. I will be away this summer to focus on being all I can be, and will visit your blog again. I love it.
I happened by your blog from warmglass.com. I'm doing the self-portrait in glass project and love your drawing. My whole idea behind my glass portrait was to SHOW my experience in my face, not hide it. I was taken with your sketch. We need to let it show and be proud. We worked hard for every wrinkle.
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