Sunday, April 27, 2008

Two Things Challenge: Self / Portrait

Me, myself, and I a la Andy Warhol
and a lovely piece of software called Photo Booth


This week's challenge was Self / Portrait. This being Washington, home of ubiquitous and obsequious acronyms, I jokingly googled "self" to see what would come up. Believe it or not, there is actually a trade association in this town called SELF--Solar Electric Light Fund. Being a smartass, I was going to go downtown, take a picture of SELF's building and post it as my interpretation, but I figured I'd get voted off the island if I did. Then I thought about taking a picture of an energy saving light bulb, but same thing. Smartass = voted off island. Plus, a low energy light bulb isn't the same as a solar electric light, so I nixed that.

Instead, I give you a picture of myself taken with my MacBook's Photo Booth software and then rendered in the style of Andy Warhol. Ergo, Self. Can I stay on the island?

Portrait of my Great-grandpa Daniel Harvey, painted by artist LeConte Stewart

For Portrait, I chose this glicee of my great-grandfather, Daniel Harvey. He emigrated to the United States from Great Britain in the mid-1800s as a little boy. Along with his parents, he crossed the American plains in a covered wagon en route to Utah. Once they arrived in the territory, his family settled in Kaysville, just north of Salt Lake City. This painting of my great-grandfather was painted by LeConte Stewart and hangs in City Hall in Kaysville. Great-grandpa Harvey was the postal carrier in Kaysville and this painting depicts my great-grandfather in the horse-drawn wagon he drove to deliver the mail in his community.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

10 comments:

Janet Kincaid said...

Okay, just for the record, I posted this before I looked at others contributions to this week's Two Things Challenge. Apparently, Andrea and I had the same idea. Great minds think alike?

Bev said...

Liked seeing this photo of the great DC at last, because you can't see the one on your title page because it's in the shade lol

The Artful Eye said...

Janet, great minds do think alike! Photobooth is a hoot. I love this portrait of your great grandpa.

Janet Kincaid said...

Bev: I'm a mystery, aren't I! :-)

Andrea: I have so much fun with PhotoBooth, it's almost criminal. I should post the pictures where I make my hair HUGE.

Bobbie said...

Janet, Love the "portrait" of self. I always like seeing what my fellow bloggers look like. Grandpa is wonderful. I really like Stewart's work.

Janet Kincaid said...

Bobbie: The sad part is, I took that PhotoBooth snap five or six weeks ago. My hair is much longer today and I really need a haircut. Badly. As for the painting of Great-Grandpa, we're all continually in awe that LeConte Stewart painted him. Of course, at the time, it was no big deal, but now... Wow.

Maya said...

Channeling Andy eh? Good to see you in all your colorful glory!

That painting and story of your great grandfather is wonderful! What a great memento.

Janet Kincaid said...

Maya: If I even had half of ounce of the creative intelligence of Andy Warhol, I'd be thrilled! It's a fun feature in Photo Booth, though, that's for sure! As for the painting of my great-grandfather, I never knew him--he died long before I was born--but I love this painting and the story behind it.

Arlene said...

Did you know the smaller version of the LeConte Stewart painting is hanging in my mother's house with my name on it (for when she dies - no hurry of course)? Maybe you'd appreciate it more? I get it because I have the oxen great grandpa hand carved with the real horse hair (tail hair) from his horse, Puss; and I believe Puss is the horse shown in the painting.

I should send you a picture of the oxen with the horse hair.

Janet Kincaid said...

Arlene: I did know that, because I think she lent it to Mom who had glicees made for herself and each of us. I'm flattered you think I would appreciate it (and I would), but you should keep it and display it with the oxen. They belong together and are such a wonderful story. Mom inherited the covered wagon Great-grandpa carved, but I don't remember the oxen. I'd love to see a picture!