Cassandra (Self portrait - Wai Art Award Submission 2009) - NFS

Following in the tradition of master artists I decided to tackle the challenge of a painting my "self." It has been interesting process thinking about the following: What do I look like? What do I care about? How do I represent all this visually?

Why flowers? People used to call me "pot plant" on account of the flowery dresses I used to wear; at work people say I am flowery (in relation to my emphasis on happiness@work; I love the Dalai Lama quote: "positive thoughts are like flowers, they have to be nurtured everyday"; and lastly - I am most happiest when I am surrounded by nature.

The lavender symbolizes calm, relaxation and is growing around my home. The other flowers are chosen for their association with happiness. The sunflower, for example, is a flower which naturally orientates itself toward the sun, and which never fails to cheer people up. I also included butterflies – they symbolize the process of transformation that as a life coach I often help people through.

Plus I am always changing myself – right now I am about to leave a corporate career path and pursue my passion for architecture. My daughter is leaving the nest, and I have rented out my home to allow me to study fulltime. So this portrait captures a period of intense change in my life

You can follow the painting process on my blog http://www.cassandragaisford.com/2009/01/self-portrait.html

Dimensions: 500mm(W) x 500mm (H) x 20mm(D)

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