I was inspired by the marble and bronze sculpture of Nymph Drying her Hair by Louis Claude Vasse. This spoke intuitively to me due to the nymph’s calm and serene facial expression despite there being snakes at her feet. She looks with a sense of “knowing power” and rather than her looking at the viewer, she seems to be looking through them. In spite of her femininity and the cloth around her waist hardly covering her up, she still possesses control and dominance in her most natural self.
With this theme in mind, I chose to make a portrait of myself in the image of the nymph and recreate the overall “feel” that the sculpture instilled in me. I also included a celestial aspect to the right of the piece to depict my appreciation for pagan beliefs that gives me a different, possibly deeper perspective on the world and supports me in always holding a strong, positive mindset. Aside from the motifs in the image, I wanted to challenge myself by using a medium that I rarely worked with: colored pencil. So I experimented with various techniques, including the use of walnut oil and a sponge to give a “watercolor” effect rather than the chalky strokes that pencils leave.

 

Nymph drying her hair

Artist:

Louis Claude Vassé (French, Paris 1716–1772 Paris)

Date:

1761–63

Culture:

French, Paris

Medium:

Nymph: white marble: base, basin and console: gray-veined marble; serpents: bronze, with remains of gilding