No Idea: 1960

[johncomic]

My 59^th acrylic is another in my projected No Idea series.

When I was three, my parents scraped up their pennies for the first [and only] time to take their sons to a professional photographer's studio and get our portraits done. Those photos hung in our kitchen for most of my childhood, and I even have a smaller print of my own photo in my own kitchen today.

My older brothers were cute kids and they wore cute little smiles. But me.... the photographer apparently told my folks that he could not get me to smile, and this was the best he could do. And indeed, I am not smiling in my picture. The best way I can think to describe my expression in that photo is this: I look like I'm sure there is something scary behind me, but I am forbidden to turn around and confirm it — I have to ignore it and focus on the task that the grown-ups have for me.

So this is my attempt to evoke some of that vibe, the sense of unseen, unknown fears surrounding me at all times. Cuz, when I think back, that is how a lot of my childhood felt. The photo did a good job of capturing Me and My Vibe. (And it felt interesting to me today to combine that sense with the clean, brightly lit atmosphere of a photo studio.)

Comments

[house_wren]

I always like seeing your paintings.

[johncomic]

aw thank you!