Welcome Tippi
























I've been trying to find my face, off and on, for a few years now, which probably doesn't make sense unless you're an artist. Especially those who, like me, can't pick up a pencil or brush and paint lovely, whimsical, poetic faces with ease. I don't know what it is about my desire to capture a distinct face... but it's there. My drawing skills are crude (oh, sure, I can do a bird, a tree, a coffee cup) and I really don't care, as my weapons of choice are acrylics, papers, photographs and found objects - the rustier the better. I can put eyes, a nose and mouth, and some hair on paper but they always look, well, blank. Vague, expressionless, random. When I go for soul I get surly, carefree and I get, well, never mind. Certainly not anything close to representing my inner spirit. 

A longtime Lynne Hoppe fan, I've had my eye on her site, Bird on a Wire, for the past few months. Lynne would post new paintings and they'd be gone by the time I got there - until last week! Tippi has come to stay, I couldn't be happier and I've finally figured out why. I'm drawn to her work, which is consistently brilliant (who doesn't know that?!), because to me it's perfect in its imperfection.   
In an interview, I heard Lynne say she doesn't recognize her own style, (which blows me away) and that she works intuitively, that her inner guide/muse is the genesis of her images. One reason why I find her work so appealing. I do realize and appreciate a multitude of artists who do fabulous non-realistic faces; the revelation was more of a wake-up call. True characters come from the heart not the head, or drawing lessons, or portraiture. And I find that really inspiring. 
Lynne generously lists her materials and tutorials on her blog, including one very detailed explanation of her face-painting process. Though it's helpful and there are some materials/techniques I want to try, I doubt my face - when I do discover it - will look like Tippi!   



Comments

Bev said…
hehe thats Lynne for u, i saw this pic only and figured it was Lynne,s post , knew it was hers straight away and i agree she rocks inside and out ..
lynne h said…
patti, this is a beautiful post, and i thank you from my heart for your words about me - and my paintings...

like you, i wanted to draw/paint distinctive faces *so much*! they just called to me! my early faces were awful - the eyes had a hard stare, and it took me quite a while to figure out to get rid of that (lower the eyelids or raise/blur the pupil). everything has been one step at a time. now i'm working on hair... i have no sense for how it lays on the head (apparently : ), so i just keep practicing. that seems to be the whole, entire key...

here's to us on our face painting journeys... : )

xoxo

lynne
Seth said…
Tippi is very cool. I was lucky enough to get one of Lynne's pieces too. They fly out so fast. But I figure, the right buyer and the right person in each piece always find each other!
Angi in hana said…
you are so lucky to get this pic, i also adore lynnes work and always want to get one, this is one of my favs! i found your blog thru lynnes! aloha, angi in hana

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