What is in it for me?

Who?

There were one-hundred-eighty-five portraits made. That statement is just a crack in the door. Why? The question is begged and I have replied a few different things. But that is not relevant to what happened to me.

What happened to me was unexpected. 185 people, all in a specific time of their lives, sat, all willing and some eager to be part of Face to Face. Some were complete strangers whom I now can greet and say hi. Some were people I had a preconceived notion of who they were from some other time or event that was completely wrong. Those were folks I was surprised to find them wanting to do this thing, have their portrait made by me. I realized if I was going to sit opposite that person, I had to throw out what I knew with all my prejudices and get on with the portrait.

That was my life changer.

By finding a way of scrubbing out preconceived ideas I became more open. It took me until the fourth month of the project to stop talking about myself and the project and turn the questions back to the sitter. It was hard work not to second guess where anyone was coming from in conversation. About that time my head, heart started opening to the real human element of the project. It was a very public place sitting there in Compass Printing yet all kinds of subjects were discussed. People would sit for two hours and we would talk.

From this opening in my head I was allowed to see my sitter better. As the project progressed, so did the seeing of the person and my ability to capture not just a likeness but also that particular space in time. The days mindset of the individual began to emerge in the work.

When Face to Face is finally hung, that will be a high point in the project. Even as the maker of all these portraits I have not yet seen all of them at one time. The story of the faces looking back at me, the progress in my work and my head is going to show. But I have no idea what that will look like.

Seeing them all looking back, that is what is in it for me.

Stay tuned.

Artliveslong, Diane

Two Days to go.
https://adirondackgives.org/campaigns/face-face-drawn-saranac-lake-lets-get-framed/

Boring Deadline: Four Days Left for Online Campaign Face to Face: Let's Get It Framed

Full disclosure: I am asking for your help and it is not exciting. Art Math I call it.

I am full of numbers right now. Four (4) days left in the Adirondack Gives Campaign for Face to Face. One-hundred-eighty-five (185) portraits to frame. Eighty (80) are complete, glassed, taped, wired, identified, ready to be boxed up. Fifty-eight (58) are ready to put into the frame. That leaves forty-three (43) still to trim, clean glass, place the spacers that are 12 inches long each on the glass, seal up with tape on all four sides, then frame. 

And that ain't all. I need to order boxes the right size to hold no more than ten (10) with spacers and foam so it can be picked up by me when it is time to bring it to the Library in Novemeber to hang in the Cantwell Room.

This project is like a sharp shooters gallery: as soon as one target is knocked down, a new one pops up.

Wall of just a dozen

I have had a lot of help so far. Wayne Newman gave me all the glass. Jeanne Danforth has given me two days to help frame. Shawn Helperin will be helping frame next week.

The on-line campaign backers have contributed to part of the cost of framing.  NYSCA has contributed about 20% of the cost for the project this year. There have been contributions from folks just stopping in the studio in Gabriels and others have contributed through Pendragon Theatre, the fiscal sponsor for the project so they will also receive a tax deduction.

I warned you this is boring. 

But I am excited because I see this part of this project coming to head. The exhibit will be in November and everyone is invited to the opening.  My vision is seeing all those faces on the wall looking back at all the faces in the room. Shivers.

Only Four Days Left in the Online Campaign. You can help. It is a win-win situation. You do have a choice of art gifts from the studio to choose from. Go the site and check it out.  https://adirondackgives.org/campaigns/face-face-drawn-saranac-lake-lets-get-framed/

Did I say Thank You? 

 

Thank You for your interest and your support.


Thank You.


Thank You.
 

By the way, Who are these folks? and How come their background is all in the same color family?

Stay tuned.

Artliveslong, Diane