I received a comment from SamArtDog. She said "Your blog is a treasure so I am passing along an award to you, The Liebster Blog Award." Your words, Sam, are all the award I need. I am honored, especially since your blog is one that I treasure. Sam has a mix of wonderful pastels, acrylics, the first iPhone paintings I ever saw, and photographs of a part of America I've never visited. I suspect that Sam has picked up a bit of "Southern" along the way--I think she likes my stories. Thank you, Sam.
Earlier, in November, Donna Iona Drozda named me as one of her 7 links. That was an honor, too--Donna's blog has wonderful paintings of women and beautiful wildlife; she encourages honoring the earth and following the cycles of the moon. I am usually slightly out of step but Donna and I read some of the same books back in the 70s so I feel part of the group. I failed to follow through on that award, too. Thank you, Donna.
And there were some earlier awards I didn't pick up.
Maybe I am just too content arting around here in southern Virginia and blogging about it. The best part of blogging is what I've learned from other bloggers. I considered adding a "No awards please" to the sidebar but it seemed a bit pretentious, especially since I hadn't received any at that time.
Yesterday, I arted around by visiting the Rembrandt exhibit in Raleigh. I think he may be a relative.
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| Rembrandt's self-portrait at age 65 |
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| My self-portrait at around 65 (white conte on black paper) |
Notice the resemblence? His portrait of his red-haired sister reminded me of myself as a child, too.
Tonight, I've spent several hours sitting in front of the webcam, wearing a black fur hat (with the name James Hunter sewn inside), shining a flashlight on my face, trying to look like Rembrandt. I thought it would work but the flashlight washes out my wrinkles! Maybe I need a mustache.
I'm keeping the hat on for taking the trash to the curb. I haven't received my down coat yet--I guess the Eddie Bauer people are hung over from the holidays. AND I paid for shipping--should have waited; they were offering free shipping today.
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Hallie, you totally crack me up! No matter how you wear the hat or how you hold the flashlight, the only resemblance twixt you and old Remmy is your arting around. I doubt he was as funny as you are, or we would've heard about it, and he as far as I know he didn't wear a Big Brown Down. Or did he?
ReplyDeleteI am also honored by your kind and generous words. Anyway, now that we've both been dubbed, maybe we could go ahead and hang a humble badge which shuns kudos on our sidebars. Or maybe not.
SamArtDog--now that you mention it, Rembrandt did wear a lot of brown; his coat had a strip of fur down the front, though. The faces of his portraits were unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteAlso at the museum was an exhibit of paintings, Reflections, by Beverly McIver. They blew me away; had to buy her catalog.
Hallie you are too funny! I wish I could have been there while you were arting around with the flashlight. Playing with shadows and wrinkles is great fun.
ReplyDeleteThe awards my little blog has received were greatly appreciated but I never displayed them. Just couldn't do it.
Have fun this week.
Hallie, I always love when you post a photo of yourself. Can you lay down in another large box again sometime--that one was the BEST. I do think you look Dutch. ..Swedish, Nordic or something. You will look stylish taking out the trash. I hope your coat comes soon--from the looks of the weather you need it! I love the self portrait---the rings on the right aren't smoke rings....are they? (Smoke rings always remind me of the 1960's..haha)
ReplyDeleteYou know, I really don't see a resemblance Hallie. But you sure are pretty and your self portrait is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWell Rembrandt is pushing his stuff! I'm going this evening to see how he painted Jesus at the Detroit Art Museum. I'm expecting a lot of brown too--but are you sure that's not atmospheric grunge that's been piling up over centuries and nobody wants to take a chance with the Murphy's oil soap? Congrats on the Liebsomething award. You and Gary Everest are two I follow and two of the five. This is the first I've heard of it; I can't feel left out.
ReplyDeleteHello, Hallie van Rijn. All you need to do now is let your mustache grow in, grow a soul-patch under your lip, and 'voila!' you'd look a little bit like Rembrandt. (Hopefully, your bank account doesn't bear the family resemblance.)
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, I think that the honesty you bring to your self-portraits channels that old Dutch master. I remember seeing your conte' drawing before and I've always thought of it as a masterpiece.
Kudos on the accolades of our fellow bloggers. You are a jewel very deserving of the love.
-Don
Hallie, always a pleasure to come to your blog and have a chuckle :-) Your self portrait is fabulous, just love it, and your auto irony is fantastic!!
ReplyDeleteHallie,
ReplyDeleteYou do look a lot like Rembrandt,he was born in a windmill, where were you born. The close as I get to him is when I smoke his cigars, Dutch Masters.
Everette McGill
Hi Carole. My husband was asleep across the hall; I was afraid he'd wake up and wonder why I was on the computer in the dark, wearing a fur hat, with a flashlight shining on my face. But, I guess he's used to such things by now.
ReplyDeleteHi Celeste. Years ago we visited the tall ships in D.C. I wore my gold hoops and a navy jacket--I looked like the Viking sailers. I'm probably English/Irish/Scottish--who knows? Yes, they are smoke rings--I like drawing those.
ConservativeBo--when I look in the mirror, I do look like Rembrandt (or maybe just old); it must depend on the light.
ReplyDeleteDon, I think I'm headed towards a mustache! I always love your comments. Fortunately, my bank account is not dependent on my paintings.
Hi Linda. I saw a lot of brown and black (my favorite colors). The paintings I saw were in amazing shape for 450 years old and the faces were so alive. Thanks; I believe Liebster means treasure. Of course, at first glance I read "Lobster."
ReplyDeleteHi Jane. Believe it or not, I'm still working with my watercolors--I get easily distracted. Glad I can make you chuckle. Most of the artists I've known had great senses of humor.
OOPS. Rembrandt's paintings are about 350 years old--not 450! Typo.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Everette--I was born a poor child in the back of a country store. You still have time to visit the exhibit in Raleigh (and I can recommend a great Italian restaurant close to the museum).
ReplyDeleteHallie, I've been under the weather so I am just catching up. First, the CorelDraw Hallie going to the trash is just wonderful. I have a friend who does stylized collages that often win awards. That piece reminds me of her work. Check out belindalima.com Gallery 2.
ReplyDeleteI had to Google Beverly McIver and I wish I had been with you to see her work. Awesome.
Your conte collage is beautifully done, though I am certain you exaggerated your wrinkles. There is no resemblance to Rembrandt except in the skill that you showed in rendering this piece. Though you are unhappy with the webcam shots, I do hope you will do some self-portraits from them.
Hi Mary. Sorry to hear that you've been under the weather; for someone as busy as you, it must be hard. I do love belindalima's Gallery 2 work. Collage is something I've not tried yet (I have lots of collage material, though).
ReplyDeleteI had read about McIver's work but nothing beats seeing it in person--awesome is the right word.
My conte portrait was done from a photo--I set the camera on the kitchen windowsill and leaned in. It's title is actually Nose to the Lens. Sun was coming through the window--wow, what wrinkles--and that was about five years ago. Strange that the flashlight washed out the wrinkles (maybe I'll wear one on my forehead). It's probably the quality of the webcam which I just learned to use. Be well.
Aren't we lucky to have such understanding husbands!
ReplyDeleteHi Carole. I just go with what my mom taught me: "What they don't know won't hurt 'em."
ReplyDeleteYour conte portrait is fabulous, the highlights/whites WOW me but honestly, you are not that wrinkled, but the wrinkles are what makes the portrait so wonderful to me. Great hat too, and earrings.
ReplyDeleteLove it! Always, love your posts!!! Yo're good for a laugh. The conte sketch is great; you are deserving of blog awards : ))
ReplyDeleteHi Robin. I did that portrait about five years ago (and sold it). Until I was reading about the Rembrandt exhibit, I didn't notice the resemblence.
ReplyDeleteIndigomar--Happy New Year. I'm uncomfortable with blog awards--and I think most bloggers feel the same way, so I don't follow through because I can't choose. An honor.....but.