This is a self portrait from college done in the style of Rembrandt, using an old glazing technique to make the most out of simple earth colors from that period: Raw Sienna, Indian Red and Ivory Black. I tried to match the lighting Rembrandt used, and because he always had something on his head in his self portraits, I wore THE HAT
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| Self Portrait with Suede Cap, 1979 oil on canvas, 24" x 18" Artist's Collection |
It was a two-dollar cap I bought in Ensenada. I thought it looked really cool but I didn't wear it much because it wasn't very comfortable. My brother John discovered it and began to wear it a lot. He had longer hair and it really flattered him. It also looked great on girls. He loaned it to a few of them without asking, and it began to disappear for long periods of time. I should have just given it to him, but instead I got jealous. We had a big argument and I forbade him to ever touch it again.
He complied until an opportunity for revenge presented itself on a family vacation in Yosemite. We were quite a large group, and one afternoon most of the gang took a side trip to see the giant sequoias. I stayed behind, but traded cars with John because mine sat more people. The hat was forgotten under the seat. Who could blame him? John went on a photographic spree, shooting everyone in the hat--our sisters, friends, our parents; even the Mariposa tram driver--before returning it to its hiding place.They all kept quiet until a picture party later in the summer. John put on a slide show and as the hat pictures appeared one by one, everyone started applauding. I was furious at first but by the end of the series I was on the floor laughing. It was such a comeuppance! I had to (ahem) take my hat off to him
I painted the self portrait later that year. I like to think I had the last word on the hat but by now you've stopped reading and you're checking out John's adorable pictures of 70's babes. There are some arguments you can't win.
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| Mary, Liz and Lois were but a few who modeled my hat for John |
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| Yosemite tram driver |
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| Our parents. Mom looks like she's feeling a little guilty. |
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| My brothers with my hat (and my Volvo). What's with the matching outfits? |
