Moses Botkin Monthly Challenge

Self portraits. I'd rather be tied to a fire ant hill, I've decided. There couldn't be a less interesting subject for me. I started with the best of ideas and enthusiasm. But after 3 false starts, missing a massage appointment and sweltering in my hot studio space (need to move downstairs), I finally made one that was tolerable. But I still didn't do what I wanted to do. Maybe I will keep working on it. But I doubt it. I was hoping to paint myself doing what I do - sketching in a cafe. Then I would have had the cafe scenes that I love to paint, and me as the near subject... but the size of the panels I tried made the other elements much too small. I am at a weird angle too, owing to it being a photograph I set up with the camera balanced on my yogurt cup. And my red color is my heat rash that I've been enjoying for a week or so. I'm guessing on that... could be that I did lay in fire ants.

Anyway - this was a challenge in every respect. When you paint a face that you are so used to seeing, I think it is almost impossible to see it just as shapes of color/value... I couldn't see the forest for the trees so to speak. I think the others did beautifully creative paintings. I'm most impressed.

Today I'm going to work on a scene from Lake Michigan where I could barely dip my toes into the frigid water. But how yummy that would feel today in Texas.


Yours Truly
10x10 oil on linen board
(to be set in a corner and forgotten)



"Vicki - 2011"
14x11 oil on panel
©2011 Vicki Ross




"Morning Light"
10x8 oil on canvas
©2011 Ruth Andre




"Lady In Red - aka Me at 60”
8x8 oil on hardboard
©2011 Sharman Owings




"Suzanne"
10x10 oil on linen
©2011 Suzanne Berry

"Mirror"
7x8 Oil on canvas board

©2011 Diana Moses Botkin