self portrait!

self portrait.
first one i've ever done.
i could never do portraits on a regular basis.
not my thing.
but every artist should have at least one self portrait.
wanted to do something different.
something completely opposite from what i've been doing.
to free my mind.
to give myself different focus for a bit.
i especially like how you can see the stud in my nose. heh.
i have art journaled for a long long time.
art journaling is giving yourself freedom to paint. whatever.
pair that with however you're feeling at the time?
lay down those feelings, all that strong emotion.
words.
the power of words.
AND paint.
it can be powerful stuff.
i often put photographs of myself on my art journal pages.
mostly because looking at photographs of myself helps me figure out exactly what it was i was feeling at the time the photo was taken.
it helps me sort through the crap.
a self portrait??
that is a whole nother matter.
i look at this painting and i'm almost startled.
it's like....WHAM. there i am.
a big huge me on a canvas.
that is some scary shit!
i have been looking at this painting.
looking at the woman. me.
trying to figure out what this painting says.
i think it says only this.
here i am.
this is me.
THIS is who i am.