I went through a lot of ideas with this. It came from both ways — thinking of how I think of myself, and how the judges may think, based on last year’s winning entries.
So my thought process at first was dumb and cheesy. I wanted to be too deep and wanted to use way too much symbolism… and in the past when I tried that, I just kept spitting out a lot of cheese.
So I thought back to an actual oil painting I did in college, and someone said “This is the best painting I’ve ever seen you do.” and that painting was one I did of my bed — with just my sheets, blankets and pillows on it. It was pretty simple, but kind of said a lot.
In this self-portrait, I simply wanted to capture a moment that I tend to experience when I wake up. Well, many of us do this I’m sure. I stare at the ceiling. I space out. I let my mind go wherever it goes — whether I’m anxious about something, feeling guilty, wondering what I’d just dreamed about, or what I really wanted this painting to be about:
times when I stopped myself and said “Time goes by really fast, but I’m happy right now. Life is great for me.” Time seems to stop for that brief moment when I become that conscious and feel like I’ve stepped off the hamster wheel, even for a brief moment.
I really didn’t want this self portrait to be strenuous in any way. I didn’t want to give this one image so many expectations like making it represent “everything” about me. I think I need to chill out more. Just in general. About everything.
Anyway, it seems this contest is half based on a facebook popularity contest with VOTING… which works against me super hard, because I left facebook about 4 years ago. I really don’t want to rejoin facebook just to “use” my old friends like that *shrug* it just wouldn’t feel right.
Otherwise it’s up to the judges.
Worst case scenario I got another piece in my portfolio *shrug* what the hey.
Wish me luck.
Emily So 