Self-Portrait: An artist viewing art

From the self-portrait above it’s obvious I was in quite the “alternative art” mood. But, being at my third art exposition for the night, I couldn’t help it. Saturday was a whirlwind of creative stimulation. First, the “Laberinto de Miradas. Colectivos Fotográficos en Iberoamérca” exposition at the Centro Cultural de España. Next, the grand opening of El Carmen Galería de Arte. Finally, Bill Ipsan’s urban art presentation in Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.

As a photographer myself, all this art most absolutely stoked the flames of my own creative fire. Charged with inspiration, I couldn’t take my hand off the shutter all night. Even though most of the time the light was terrible, I still had to try every idea that flashed through my mind. For me, viewing others’ art makes me feel as if my own creativity is free to be well… more free. Witnessing the work of someone who took a risk to express themselves – sometimes in a most vulnerable way, gives me a confidence-boost to do the same.

Thus, this self-portrait of me viewing a series of portraits of autistic children is one of the results of my “shutter-binge” Saturday night.

text and photo by Laura McNamara

© 2009 – 2020, Laura McNamara. All rights reserved.