Self-Portrait



Doesn't that look like me? Remember: I'm a Surrealist. Things are not always what they seem.

No clip-art was used in the creation of this portrait. Every element was photographed by me. I could say this work was 25 years in the making -- that's how old the picture of my dog is.

Every element in the photo is significant:

• The rainbow is a promise from God. Promises kept demonstrate loyalty, which is a characteristic I value highly.
• I love water. I love the way it photographs. I love swimming. I feel completely at home in the water.
• My dog is a faithful companion. My dog loves me unconditionally. That displays loyalty, which I have said I value highly.
• I love colour. Bright, contrasting colour. The flowers are a wonderful collection of colour. They are also my Garden of Delights... yes, in a sexual sense -- vivid, diverse and growing.
• Duct Tape has many, many uses. When I packed Duct Tape in my emergency kit, my kids asked me what it was for. I replied "I don't know yet." It is useful in so many ways. One is never truly prepared unless one has Duct Tape on hand.
• Calculator: I love math. I work with numbers. What more can I say? Oh yeah... the display reads "42". (If you don't understand, ask Douglas Adams.)
• Tools: Growing up, I learned that if something is broken, you fix it. My dad could fix anything! He was great at building, too. So, it just came naturally for me to do the same. I'm very capable.
• Art Supplies: I am an artist. I am an Art School graduate. I work in various media. It only made sense for an appendage to be devoted to art.
• Axe: Self-reliance. I enjoy camping. I like wood heat. It is necessary to use an axe in those contexts. It is just another tool. And the source of one of my favourite scars.
• Bandaids: For this photo, I put a bandaid on every scratch, scrape, bruise and scar on my legs. These are positive things. These superficial imperfections represent my life -- always out doing things. When I am active, I sometimes sustain minor injuries. Mowing the lawn, riding a bike, hiking, cutting firewood. My scars are special to me because each one has a story about something I was doing.
• Candle: Romance. Peaceful. The quality of the light given off by a candle is warm and soft. I enjoy watching the flame dance in the slightest air current. Capturing this dance on film has been a challenge. A peaceful, quiet, soothing challenge. A good mood for romance.
• Amber: I rarely wear jewellery. I came across this piece of amber after about 5 months of separation. It was large, and it was uncarved. It was gorgeous! And the shape... I see a human figure jumping for joy, arms reaching upwards. This figure represents joy and freedom -- a release from former trials. I was far from that joy when I purchased it. I am much closer to that joy now. I wear it when I'm feeling particularly depressed. Or if I am in an especially good mood. It is a very special piece to me.
• Lingerie: One of my favourite things. I'm a blue-jeans-and-tee-shirt girl. I like to dress for an active lifestyle -- always ready to do. At home, in the quiet of the evening, I like to dress in something special, for some special time with someone special. It's special.
• Books: Not just any books. These titles are all from my personal collection. Well, two of them are borrowed -- but I still chose to read them. Books are knowledge. Books are adventure. Books are entertainment. Books are useful. I can never have too many books.
• Camera: I bought a digital camera a couple years ago. I got into the habit of using it for all my photography needs. Recently, I shot a roll of film on my "real" camera. I was stunned by the results! The quality is so much higher than my digital. I have so much control over so many factors. I must use it more often. I studied photography for 3 years in Art School. I have a store of knowledge about my camera that is so ingrained in me that I use techniques without even thinking about what I'm doing. The results are fabulous! I can't see me ever using digital exclusively.
• Ladybugs: I'm not even sure how many are in the picture. I photographed them all myself. Ladybugs represent science. As a child, I thought they were pretty. When I had children of my own, I learned alot about them. I would take my kids outside and we would observe the ladybugs in their habitat, making note of their behaviour and their interactions with other bugs. We would identify the type of ladybug by examining their dots. We saw ladybugs walking, resting, mating, eating and being eaten. We saw ladybug larvae and pupae. We learned so much about ladybugs through personal observation. It rekindled the excitement I had for science when I was in grade school. When my oldest son started kindergarten, he didn't know the alphabet, but he could describe in detail the life-cycle of a ladybug. Ladybugs picture an important dimension of my personality... a love of learning, and learning hands-on.