More than 30 years ago, I began this portrait of a beautiful friend of mine in her beautiful Upper West Side apartment. I realized after a time when life intervened—job, marriage—that I was never going to finish it, so I took the canvas off the stretchers, cut it down and put it on this crooked one. My friend didn't like the picture much at the time; it made her look old. Now we both are, and she likes it better. She is contemplating framing and hanging it near the very couch she posed on.
I love hanging pictures in the locations in which they are set, or in proximity to the things that are depicted. I once wrote a proposal (unsuccessful) to an alternative gallery here in SF to do a whole installation of pictures in the recreated locations in which they were painted.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had photographed her sitting in the couch, too.
ReplyDeleteThe sitter said:
ReplyDeleteCome back and shoot me on the couch.
You're friends with Disnay's Pocahontas?
ReplyDeleteHave staplegun will travel.
ReplyDeletewonderful portrait ....love the cutains alot...head is great...what did you cut off?
ReplyDeleteIt was rectangular the long way—so body, couch cushions, floor. I had started from the top down!
ReplyDeleteme thinks the lady doth not paint enough...
ReplyDeleteAh, but you think that about everyone!
ReplyDelete