Our House

Before I took Jennifer Mercedes painting class I bought this large wooden canvas at Dick Blick's. I did not end up using it during the class and have spent a lot of time staring at it and painting over it a few dozen times. 

For some reason whenever I paint on a big piece I always find myself wanting to draw a house. This piece of wood was no different, I kept wanting to draw that house outline. 

Years ago I saw a painting hanging in a house that was featured in Mary Engelbreit's magazine, Home Companion.  The painting was of a house with lots of circles with self portraits drawn inside of them. I wish I would have saved the magazine so I could share the picture of the painting. I think a neighbor had made it for somebody when they were moving, to remind them of their neighborhood.  I thought how fun to have all of your friends draw themselves inside of your painting. It takes a lot of pressure off of you to make it perfect.

So that is what inspired me to create this canvas.  I started with an image of a house.  Over the weekend I got my pen out and started having people draw themselves inside of the house.  I first had people draw their image inside of a circle and then I let go of all of the rules and let people draw what they felt compelled do draw.  I can not wait to see how it will look when it is full.  This is a work in progress and it will be wonderful to have this collection of tiny self portraits of my family and friends.

  I have done something similar to this while vacationing.  I always bring a journal with me and I have had everyone draw their hands or a self portrait in the journal.  I love looking back at how little the kids hands were and what they had written was their favorite memory.   I have included a few photos from the journal at the end of this post.

The vacation journal,

Comments

[Lana Kloch]

what a great idea amy... what a treasure.. a canvas framed and housing your family and friends. xoxo

[Teresa]

You are so clever! This looks like fun!

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