I'm the kind of (art) nerd who writes a running commentary on my own life, inside my head. Especially when we're traveling as a family. [You know, something like "She bit her tongue to avoid yelling at her children and tried to look calm as she corralled them through the TSA checkpoint."] I don't know if it's a good thing, but I cast us as the Brave But Vulnerable Wanderers during that unpredictable journey between home and destination.
Have you ever put one of your mental scripts down in ink or paint?
"Exposure" (2014). © Lisa Myers Bulmash. Photo: Bellevue Fine Art Reproduction.
So I used this old photo of TwoBoo to express that vulnerability. In reality, he was just staring off into space and in no danger. But his expression captured that uncertainty I so often feel when I'm on the road with my children.
Getting through the "ugly stage" to a workable portrait. Credit: Lisa Myers Bulmash
I created symbols of permanence and comfort on his (my) journey: a home...
... a representation of plenty.
Library of Congress
To me, the feast symbology above means less than what a house represents: the structure is literally shelter from the cold.
But I still like the "offering" aspect of the feast platter. So with help from my fellow artist Satira and her power tools...
I made the "offering" more three-dimensional.
And because none of us travel these paths alone, I added fellow pilgrims in the distance.
"Exposure" will be my "wow" piece at the Best of the Northwest next weekend. Please come see me and my work at Booth H-12 (one of the long booths against the wall) and I'll show you the details up close!rta