My blogging mate and artist Aletha Kuschan from Washington DC, USA has done a series of notebook portraits (in blue ball point pen) of me in my yoof!
This one above is the most like me (though I wouldn’t grumble if I looked like the others – haha).
Pop over to Aletha’s art blog here, here and here for the series.
She took the inspiration from one of my blog posts where I am wearing the classic eighties t-shirt Relax (think Wham) and where I have written a poem ‘insert cliche title‘ about friendship in the good old days.
Here is the photo:
A younger cynical, sardonic and sometimes sad me!
Aletha – thanks for thinking of me when we’ve been sick – and I very much appreciate such a talented artist as yourself drawing my picture.
Big hugs and kisses from Australia 
_______________________________________________________
Aletha – help yourself to the chocolate box in the previous post
and I’ll crack open some virtual champagne!
I will work for chocolate! And champagne!
Aletha’s ‘blue’ period?
exactly Martin – haha
Striking! In fact, get on the wrong side of her and it seems one might well be struck! In your yoof you don’t look like someone who would suffer fools gladly.
bit too close to the truth there colonialist – they didn’t call me killer for no reason – bwhahahaha
I like the way Aletha has painted your eyes looking away (unlike in the photo) and your expression as more serious, as if this portrait is most certainly that person in the photo, but later in life as moulded by experience in life.
Yes, I know what you mean bb – the funny thing is when I look at the photo I can see myself looking to the right slightly (that’s my ‘oh God don’t take my photo’ look) – Aletha is very observant.
A beautiful portrait, by a so talented artist!
I like the sense of sun pouring on you!
Yes, very talented Benedicte
Wow, that’s good!
thanks Tilly
you should see her Koi paintings – sublime
Love the portrait – it’s fantastic – and love the relax t shirt even more, Gabrielle. Iconic
Iconic! Yes – not that we thought so at the time – I used to wear the most eighties looking black with white flecks thoughout pants/trousers with the shirt and a belt – hahaha – didn’t realise I looked a bit like a clown – but then so did everyone else – hahahaha – what a decade of bad clothes and hair! thanks Kate
Quite like the protrait of you.
Thanks Charles – she’s a wizz with that ball point pen!
I will have to take your word for sardonic … I think I saw the gentle side of that girl who later found fairies right in her own garden! And then told me we have them here, too! Right here in the good ol’ USA! Who knew! And now, of course, I converse with the fairies out there in the garden … among the vegetables. And I get the nicest smiles from the neighbors ….
You’ve just made me cry Aletha – thankyou for such sweet words – I’m glad you are talking to the fairies (they were waiting for you to notice
)
I am going to write you a poem now Aletha (well not now – next week sometime – hahaha) merci!
Pstt. And about Washington DC … shhhh about … you know … um, the secret bunker studio …. mums the word!
mums the word 99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIkXm7hb3Hk
amazing what a ballpoint pen can do in the right hands!
Yes, who would have thought the ball point pen could deliver
thanks tipota – hope the sun is shining in Cape Cod 
and tipotaland – give those kitties a cuddle for me!
Very cool … the T-shirt, the hair! Fabulous photo and portrait too. ‘Yoof’ I like that
hahaha – you can steal that one Geoff – ‘yoof’ – I stole it off someone on twitter I seem to remember. Thanks
That is such a great portrait Gabe! One for the treasure chest for sure!!!
Yes it certainly is Graham – I am getting quite a collection of magnificent things from people in the blogosphere – poems, art – what could be better than that!
WOW. What a fantabulous portrait. Aletha is amazing. What a talent. I love the RELAX T-shirt. I used to have one of those too. Makes me laugh to think about it. You look so like Drew Barrymore in that photo it is uncanny. I love this!
hahaha – can’t see the resemblance myself but if you say so
thanks Selma – I loved that shirt.