laughter is the best medicine

(laughter is the best medicine, 9" x 12" mixed media)

at the height

of laughter,

the universe

is flung into a

kaleidoscope of

new possibilities.

-jean houston (b. 1937)

this is a page from my life book 2012 project. this week's assignment was to do a self-portrait using a black and white photo-copy of a favorite picture of yourself. i was really scrambling to find a fairly recent (and half-way decent) photo of myself. they're rare as hen's teeth because generally i loathe having my picture taken. however, this one was snapped before i could protest and it catches me in the act of laughing - something you'll find me doing quite frequently - and, as those who know me will attest, often at the oddest moments.

for this portrait, i collaged the image onto a sheet of watercolor paper, then painted over it using caran d'arche neocolor II's (aka crayons for grown-ups!) as well as some watered down acrylic paints. once that was done, i scanned the painting and played with it digitally, giving myself a cool punk hair-do.