by self-portrait ’68
Self-portrait 1968
drypoint
image size: 24.5 x 22.5 cm (9.5″ x 9″)
I have occassionally posted some of my very much older work here as I unearth them from the bottom of my flat files. This is one I had forgotten to publish though it was very much a favourite of mine. It was one of the last prints done in my final year in art school when my major was actually in painting. This was the time when I really fell in love with printmaking and especially the drypoint technique. It would be well over a decade before I was able to return to printmaking seriously.
My older works may be found in that category under Printworks. Another drypoint from that period is this one.
Added January 5th, 2014: As I continue to edit broken links and other funky things after this blog’s move to WordPress, I do end up reading a lot of old posts. Just now I came across this one, which is about this work being published in Qarrtsiluni! I had forgotten that, and how cheesy my words are!
January 2, 2014 in Older Works, Printworks by Marja-Leena
So unusual a view for a self portrait – it is however the way young children would first get to know their mother, I suppose. I love what time has done to the paper, and the way the scanner has picked up the undulations.
Interesting what you said about the “child’s eye level” below the linked piece. So you did a whole series of these? (You do still like the idea of a series!) They are surprising . . .
Can you think of analogues in another’s work? Perhaps this is one of those cases in which a woman thought very differently than a man, and it made a big structural difference?
Marly, it was not really a series since there were only three head studies, I think. I cannot recall what my inspirations were at the time, other than the life drawing which I loved so much at the school and hours upon hours of art history. Interesting question.
Silly me! I was commenting in haste this morning, and have only now gone to your own link!
Olga, you found the answer! Not silly at all, I write too many hasty comments with all kinds of typos.
It’s still a remarkably powerful image.
Susan, thank you!
Yes. Very strong.
Marja-Leena
I can see that you was in your 20’s in age and headstrong and decided what you will become. That’s the reason for the strength that one can sense in the image. Also: you have a perfect touch in co-working of your eyes and hands. A talent, without a doubt.
I did draw nudes a little earlier than later 60’s, in my high school years. Our art teacher was a sculptor at school and paid attention on human anatomy, of course we didn’t have nude model at school, it would not work with late puberty age kids. But faces, yes, and gestures. I think he knew how to teach simply because being a sculptor.
These days they don’t have no drawing at high school at all, unless the school has specialized on visual arts. Those schools are very rare.
I was at the same time writing furiously and playing piano, so in high school times I had no idea what I would want to do as a grown-up (actually I suspect I never grew up!). The problem was solved by starting to study drama at the university. All arts in one school!
I have to raise my non-existant hat for you: you made it, a daughter of the immigrant!
I have taken up much on my heart to speak and encourage of the refugees and other foreign kids in this block. Most take up my willingness of contact with surprise first, but most also become good young friends. Having lived in the same block almost 20 yrs has been very nice that way.
I remember feeling often lonely in America myself. Being an immigrant changes people a lot.
Ripsa, thanks for your most kind words about me and my work!
When I think back to my high-school art education, it was not great in terms of any life-drawing but I had a very supportive art teacher. My own daughters had an excellent art teacher in high school. Art was and still is, I think, an optional course here. Elementary school art in our childrens’ school was pitiful, like doing colouring books! As for our universities, as we have discussed before, arts education is being decimated in favour of ‘jobs’ education and bringing in foreign students. I still grieve its loss at our local university.
Life is always challenging for immigrants, especially for adults needing to learn the language and find jobs. I was a five year old promptly put into school. That was language immersion! It must have been traumatic for I remember very little of the first two years. Being schooled fully here, it was easier to go on to university than if I had been a new immigrant with no English.
So, good for you in encouraging the refugees in your neighborhood! Finland still has some issues in dealing with immigrants, I think.