I caught the art bug ages ago and have dabbled in various media. After studying under several wonderful watercolor artists, I decided maybe I'd better learn how to draw, and this self portrait was among my earliest adult attempts. While it wouldn't take any prizes in portraiture or drawing technique, I proudly display it in my studio. It was the result of the first exercise in a college drawing class, when the professor had said: 'take out one sheet of paper and a pencil and eraser and draw yourself - without the aid of photo or mirror. Oh, and by the way: you have thirty minutes.'
The collective results of that trial by immersion were a mixed bag: some silly, most charming, many downright hilarious. Sadly, a few students decided right then and there that art was not for them. The prof posted the remaining drawings outside the classroom for passersby to see, and together we cringed in the classroom trying to ignore the laughter coming from that hallway. I treasure my specimen because it makes me smile and think of that day we were all forced to find our inner eyes for a frightening but fun thirty minutes.
I still consider watercolor my first love, but have added pastel, pen and ink and photography to my repertoire. When I'm faced with a blank sheet of paper and fearful of taking the plunge, that day comes back to haunt me. And no, it doesn't really look like me. I ignored wrinkles and pounds and a lot of nose, but hey - I'm the artist.
Jane Heron joined Pixels.com Licensing on January 18th, 2012.