Self-Portratit Finalist

“Self-Portrait” is a mixed media piece rendered in ink and colored pencil on tobacco colored Canson paper. It is a rendition of a photograph from the early 1900’s. This draft horse pulled heavy loads during the infancy of our country. A poster of this photograph was displayed in our Veterinary hospital, until it was damaged during a remodel.
I decided that I would paint the photo as a gift to my husband. I had set art aside to help him start a business and raise our children, so it was the first thing I had worked on for 10 years. During the process, the photo became much more than a project. It evolved into a statement about the struggles of my life as a wife, mother and human being. I feel that anyone who has had to overcome difficulties can take ownership of the weight being pulled. It is a visual representation of circumstances you may have had to overcome . Ownership of his unseen burden changes with each viewer.
My husband and I were able to reclaim a round pen that was built in the 1950’s. This material was used in the construction of the frame which surrounds the piece. A symbolic statement of the wood’s original purpose and its imperfections reflect the circumstances that surrounds us all.