Portrait Project – Inspired by David Park #4 – How can I put myself in this painting?

At first I thought I could only add my glasses to make this image my self-portrait, then I realized what was bubbling up from my unconscious mind… I have been waxing nostalgic this past week with listening to music from the 1980s and watching documentaries about Street artists who started in that decade and how the questions of identity and human politics played into their expressions. I also watched the remake of Miami Vice and remembered all the muted pastel pallets we used back then. I think that directed my use of pink against yellow in these initial brushings of paint. Also, the glasses… they are supposed to be my blue-rimed lenses, but I felt they needed to become shades to fit the preppy colours.

I know this isn’t finished and I’m already visualizing the changes I want to make, as well as feeling the anxiety from those I think might be overworking the piece… stay tuned for tomorrow… I’ll let the paint dry a touch and finish it… maybe I’ll enjoy a sip of bourbon while finishing it and let myself sink into some New Age moods.