Today is this posting day for the art journaling group that I recently joined:

Our prompt this week:  “Who are you?  If you had one page to show the world who you are what would you put on it?  Use anything except an actual photo of yourself to make a self portrait.”

Easy enough.  Life drawing isn’t really my thing anymore, but I can do collage all day long (I wish I could all day long)!  I started with a stack of magazines and my stash and soon had a nice little pile of things I do.

Problem #1.  What someone does all day isn’t who they are.  Doing and being are not necessarily the same thing, right?  The activities make up a part of who you are, but they are just that:  a combination of stuff you have to do and a bit of want to do.

Problem #2. How do I actually do this thing?  What if I don’t show everything.  What if how I depict myself is erroneous – my conception is somehow different from people’s perception.

Problem #3.  What if it looks like crap?  If I can’t even do a decent piece of art that shows who I am, what the heck am I doing calling myself an artist?  (This is not a new problem, by the way.)

Here we go…

•   #1…The things I do make up the clothing I am wearing… because the activities I am involved in daily “clothe” me.  Each day  I cover myself with the needs of the day.  Some days I dress up, most days I wear work clothes.  These things I do sometimes obscure who I really am – like a worn out pair of jeans and a baggy sweatshirt.  Sometimes they protect me like a suit of armor.  Most days, they prepare and equip me for the work I’m doing – like a worn out pair of jeans and a paint-stained T-shirt.  The “real” me is always present; underneath it all.
• Skipping on to #3…It’s not art, it’s a journal page.  Duh.  Lighten up, Kelly.
• Back to #2…Here’s the best I’ve got:

Wings that are somewhat tattered and worn because so I am, but I still have some flying to do.

A heart of gold because I really do have a lot of love to share even if I struggle with trust sometimes.

Paintbrush bristle hair for all the times I’ve gone somewhere and realized I have a big glob of paint in my hair.

Striped tights just like the Wicked Witch of the West because I sometimes have the tendency to act like her.

Ruby slippers because no matter where I go, I long to go home.

Empty hands (not really empty, just open) letting go of “bad” stuff and open to grab “amazing”.

A glittery pink crown because somewhere in time, I quit thinking of myself as a princess (the magical child-like kind).

It’s not perfect and finished because neither am I.

Everything isn’t shown because parts of me remains hidden and there are things I haven’t discovered yet.

I know I forgot something because, as in real life, I’m sure I’ve forgotten (or lost) something.

If folks see me differently than this, that’s probably as it should be.  I’m different things to different people.

Oh, and I realize that it’s not actually a page – it’s a paper doll…because sometimes I don’t like to follow the rules.

I hope you have a day full of discoveries ahead!