What’s Your Self-Portait?
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What’s Your Self-Portrait?
If a fairy godmother granted you the chance to choose the background of your very own portrait, what would it be?
If you’ve been to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, you understand the wide variety of backgrounds. Subjects have unique backdrops that magically reflect their true essence. Many of the portraits remind me of endings to a good book—there could be no possible alternative.
There are hundreds of good examples in the National Portrait Gallery. Artist Kadir Nelson painted the portrait for Henrietta Lacks, the mother of modern medicine. Lacks is painted in a red dress with large, blue geometric patterns behind her. They look like cells, which is indeed the point. Nelson’s background honors Henrietta Lacks scientific contributions to society.
Barack Obama’s famous portrait is equally symbolic. He sits on a brown chair surrounded by green leaves and various flowers. The artist, Kehinde Wiley, chose specific blooms to represent parts of Obama’s life. When I saw the portrait, it reminded me of a vibrant and colorful life. Like the ending to a good book, the backdrop was exactly perfect.
Creative self-portrait backgrounds can be anything that helps convey meaning or personality. When I taught at Colorado Mountain College, I gave my English Comp students an assignment. Rather than have them write boring narrative essays, I asked them to choose a background for an imaginary self-portrait and then write about it.
The essays were anything but boring.
One student described an alpine vista because, they explained, not only was it beautiful, but it was the only place they felt safe in a world of uncertainty. Another student chose a black background to better highlight their purple hair. She went on to write about how the setting was also a metaphor for depression and childhood trauma. The students’ writing pieces explored identity, self-expression, and emotion.
You know I’m going to ask it.
If you created a background for your self-portrait, what would it be? Maybe your background sends a message. Maybe it shows emotion. What details would be included? Are there elements of nature? City life? Weather? Objects? What colors would you use? There are no limits. It’s your background. Go one step further and ask yourself why.
Go ahead. I dare you.
College Essays!
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Quotes for the Soul!
“The tool of every self-portrait is the mirror. You see yourself in it. Turn it the other way, and you see the world.””
“Everything is a self-portrait. Everything is a diary.”
Bonus Free Gift.
Email me a question or creative topic that interests you, and I’ll mail you an original spirit card.
Thanks for reading. Creativity is not a command performance, but I hope you’ll stay and become inspired. If you know someone interested in creative endeavors, please forward this on!
Yours in spirited creativity,