Sometimes I complete portraits that are gifts, or otherwise personally inspired and non-commissioned works. This piece is one of them.

Begun around 2018 or 2019 while still in Alabama, I was inspired by some old photos I saw either online, or possibly by email…old photos of my cousin, Laura, that I had never seen before.

I recently learned that her oldest brother, Dennis Slifer, had taken these old black-and-white treasures…I do have them in my computer files labeled “Laura…and 1963…” although that was the year I was born and she is only two-and-a-half years older…and I’m thinking she is more around 5 years old in these photos…but I could be wrong…and…it does not really matter, this detail of date…

Today, we are immersed in a plethora of digital images. Most never get printed out, and many, when transferred to our computers, are labeled with randomly assigned numbers…in jpeg format…

I often think of the plethora and proliferation of images we now create (and I’m as guilty as any…and being highly visual…probably create more than my fair share…for various reasons…) and unlike even twenty or thirty or fifty years ago…when others pass on, we, at least for a time, immerse ourselves in some family treasure hunt…sorting through all that a human leaves behind in this world to salvage old photographs.

Now, when we pass on…those who clean up our final messes, whomever they may be…will likely not have the time, interest nor literally capacity to delve through the many files on our computer hard drives…our lives and memories may only remain documented through Instagram, Facebook, and the likes…even personal blogs will go dark…unless those that care about us keep paying the subscription, or at least, download our writings into PDF’s…

Now that I’ve set the stage for the melancholy and contemplative things of life, in which I believe we all increasingly find ourselves in loud absence of, these days…I would like to share a bit more about this piece and my artistic process.

My cousin Laura’s favorite color is purple, as is mine. I envisioned, initially, painting from the photo in black-and-white but highlighting with purples. As I see it, there is little value in simply copying a photo into a painting…although, sometimes, yes…

Somehow, the artistic process needs to add value..to express or capture somehow beyond a simple photo…sometimes, maybe there is just one part of an otherwise perfect photo that is out of place…so…painting it and omitting or changing even 5%…and taking it into another medium, can have tremendous value.

In Alabama, before my move, I had trace Laura’s outline on to a blank canvas from the photo, as I often do, to start a painting, wanting my proportions to at least initially be fairly spot on. I “washed” the canvas with a light purple, as I recall…

By the time I was in Delaware in my temporary living situation between January 2020 and August 2020, I had begun experimenting more with collage techniques. I decided to loosely create a sense of grapes (fruitfulness and nature) from torn painted papers or even some greens from torn older prints or misprints…and then, I fiddled with not only the portrait work but gluing these into the background border and integrating with acrylic paint.

It became a process – back and forth – and somehow, I really skewed some of my cousin’s facial proportions in the portrait…once here in Pennsylvania, this piece sat pretty much untouched in my studio until I found incentive to tackle it shortly before Christmas 2021…along with some other personal gift pieces…I had hoped to complete by Christmas, but…this was 99% complete by my visit to Laura mid February.

I brought the piece along, to surprise her, and sought input, artistically, from her (she is an artist, too) and her husband and son, both tremendously gifted fine artists. Tilghman and William (Hemsley) both advised me to “leave it alone” and that it was “perfect” as is…but…although I almost agreed, ha ha, I knew there was just a bit more tweaking of white light in a few places…to better form her gentle and subtle, innocent expression, in this piece…

Last week, it took me ten minutes (and only five weeks after bringing it back here, from my trip…) to put a bit of white and black on a plastic lid and carefully tweak….and then…to…stop. Knowing when to stop on a work is most difficult for me…there is always one more thing one sees…even years later…but the beauty of art is its expression, during a time, and its perfect imperfections….

Below, I will put in a few photos involving the final tweak, if one can see any differences, out of curiosity…

Today, I worked a couple hours joining the sectional direct scans of the piece, in Photoshop, and also using editing tools to create a spin-off background I might use for various calligraphy quotations for my Etsy works. This is time-consuming, but I view it as necessary, with any significant work.

I need to be able to feature and share it, and if possible, get further mileage from it in business-related ways, even though it is personal…quite personal…to me.

I usually listen to music while working, and artistically, the selections are part of my overall thinking and expressions…today…I felt inclined to listen to George Winston…wordless…contemplative…and I was hoping for one particular piece to emerge on my playlist and it did, and I link it below, too. I am always drawn to this piano piece, but can’t recall it’s title, though I should: Colors/Dance

Also in my thoughts today was one of my favorite inspirational writings, The Desiderata (Things to be Desired I believe is the translation…) and while I desire these things yet often fall short in them…there are a few lines I always find meaningful which I will highlight in the text at the end of this expression.

I decided that superimposing The Desiderata on to the new background, using my own hand-created calligraphy font I made over twenty years ago for computer calligraphy that could be easily manipulated digitally, was most called for today…

Desiderata

GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

By Max Ehrmann © 1927
Original text