My Altar

As I've been preparing to embark on another 52 WEEKS project, I began gathering antique items from around our home...it feels like an alter of sorts. I guess I've been feeling rather sentimental with all of this planning for The Grandmothers project, reading all of the old stories and looking at the beautiful vintage photographs. I love history and reading so this just feels like the right thing for me to do at this time.

I haven't felt this excited for a project since last year's 'Nasty Women' series, though this one feels so much gentler to me. I know I will be thinking about how others might perceive the portraits I paint, but not in the same direct way that they might feel about a personal portrait. I might be wrong, but it does take the pressure off me a bit. And, it certainly helps that I will be working from photographs that are being provided to me. 

And after giving it a lot of thought...I want to focus on the vintage photographs, but would love to exhibit the paintings with more contemporary photographs of each of the women. There are still a few things I need to clarify for myself, but I think some of that will come as the project begins. It seems that is my process.