Let's be frank: it takes a strong person to love this painting. And possibly a very odd person, too. If you happen to be that strong, odd person, you'll be delighted to know that this painting is a full two feet by two feet, making Self Portrait With Teeth a larger than life extravaganza of my dental topography. I painted this while at Yale University's storied Summer School of Art, which is located on a lush and gorgeous estate in Norfolk, Connecticut. I guess I felt a need to balance things out. ~ René Joshi Sims
Self Portrait With Teeth might not look like much but it's been around, having been printed up in Beyond Magazine's Beauty issue and making its appearance in a number of shows. Says René: " I'm kinda gonna miss the old girl."
René's zig-zaggy art journey: a three year crash course in love, painting, and D.I.Y. at Rosebud, Alberta; Yale University's Summer School of Art in Norfolk; four hothouse years at Alberta College of Art and Design; a year-long mentorship with Canadian painter Eleanor Bond, and another year working on Chautauqua Stars for a Northern City, a public commission for the E. A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts. The journey came to a juddering halt when René's son was diagnosed with autism. She recently returned to the studio after a six year absence, and is working on a show about healing, loss, and love that glows just hot enough to see by. She lives with her family in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and blogs in happy obscurity at fruityfantastica.
All proceeds from items sold on the To Haiti with Love auction go directly to the St. Joseph's Family in Haiti. To make a bid, simply leave a comment with the amount of your bid and your email address. The auction will wrap up on February 8, 2010, and winners will be contacted right away to arrange payment and shipping. Good luck!
Self-portrait with teeth 2'x 2' acrylic, oil stick and oil on plywood (unframed) by René Joshi Sims (origin: Saskatchewan, Canada)
Starting bid: $80.00