In February/March I took an online painting class at Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia, PA. The class was called BLENDING ABSTRACTION AND REPRESENTATION, and over 5 sessions our class explored the continuum between these two endpoints of a line. This set of classes is a continuation of the previous group with the same teacher and the same group of students.
The class was structured so that we worked on our individual artworks in our home studios while participating in discussions and vewing demonstrations by the teacher. I did quite a bit of work and I’ll be showing them to you over a few posts.
Thanks to my instructor, Lesa Chittenden Lim, and my classmates, for a good experience.
The class assignment was to examine what paths we might like to take our art along in the future.
I did a post on this topic at the end of the first class with some detail: look here if you want to see it.
As you may imagine I have a lot of ideas. But one thing I would like to do is to paint more pictures of people – either portraits or peopled scenes. This idea is something new to me and I will have to give it more thought.
In the meantime, I decided to represent myself as a portrait. I took a photo with my phone and got to work. Here is the result.
“Self-Portrait”, 3/21, acrylics on masonite, 24″ x 18″
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
Stunning.
Thank you. It was fun to do this and I hope to try some other portraits, if anyone will let me.
I love your use of non-traditional colours for a portrait and your personal style still shines through this piece. Very nice.
Thank you. I decided to stick with the colors I like (or else the tubes jump into my hand, they know who they are) and focus on the shapes and the light sources and let it all work out (or not). I am happy with the result and it was fun.
Oh I really like this piece! I just love the eyes and the glasses!
Thanks. It was fun to do. And it does look something like me. So I feel it was a success.
I love the colours you have used for this self-portrait and the way you’ve handled shadow and light.
Thank you. As you know I have my favorite colors and they are what I turn to to help me along. I like how this one turned out. Surprised me.
LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!! Sorry for shouting, but WOW!!!! 👏👏♥️👏👏
Thank you. I am happy with how this turned out myself. I did have my doubts but in the end it came together.
You look like a shaman. (K)
Wow, I love that idea. I wish I were.
You underestimate yourself Claudia.
I think of myself more as a woods creature peering out from behind a tree trunk, maybe!
I like that image too.