Rousseau – 75 x 45 inch pen and ink drawing

Mike Lyon — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:38:08 +0000

Our good friends Ed and DJ were having dinner with us at a nice Westport restaurant and Rousseau served us (she later recalled that we were a ‘good’ table). She was so pleasant and with such a mobile expression and well defined features and that wonderful tuxedo-esqu blouse… I wanted to use her for a portrait right away… DJ asked me if there was something wrong — she said I kept staring at our waitress — and honestly, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I introduced myself and asked if she’d model for me. She was flattered, said yes right away, and a few days later came down to the studio so I could photograph her. I’d asked her to wear the same blouse and… It was a terrific 90 minutes as she told me about her life and childhood and parents and… Well — a number of my photos of her are super-expressive and well suited t0 my drawing, painting, and printmaking… But this one called out to be first and I love the image and love this face and wispy hair and… Well, EVERYTHING, really. Kinda recalls earlier Netherlandish portraits, doesn’t it? A little?

"Rousseau" 2010, 75 x 45 inches, drawing in pen and ink on heavy watercolor paper

Detail light side eye

Detail lower right with pencil signature

Rogier van der Weyden's c. 1440 silverpoint on paper portrait of a young woman 16.6 x 11.6 cm

Judith Leyster's 1629 oil on canvas Jolly Toper 89 x 85 cm (recommended by my great friend 'V' who suggests that 'teeth' in art is quite rare)

1996 Embedded Self Portrait tiling

Mike Lyon — Sun, 28 May 1995 19:36:49 +0000

This self portrait was pretty much the end of the series. I produced an edition of 25 of these for the Hand Print Press, a print making cooperative which organized an annual exchange. Similar to 64, but much more ambitions, I was very happy (and very lucky) to keep the four color plates and one large etched plate in register throughout. What a trick! When I completed the run, I decided that next time I’d try to hook up with a master printer and get the job done right!

"Embedded Self Portraits", 1996, deeply embossed four color Lithograph on Rives BFK paper, image about 14" x 19".

I love looking at all the incredible (and sometimes funky) variation among the small portraits…

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Rousseau – 75 x 45 inch pen and ink drawing

1996 Embedded Self Portrait tiling