Tag Archives: portraiture

The Big Head

When I brought THIS PAINTING home from the Goodwill 10 years ago…

goodwill art on the wall

Those books have to go – who wants them? Paid $10  at Goodwill for this close to 5 foot x close to 4 foot art piece almost 10 years ago.

I did not know that there was going to be a “thing” with large-scale portraits in home decor…

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bh large portrait bh large scale art from houzz

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bh 4 bh 6 bh 7 bh 8 bh 9

It was common, while I was growing up, to be admonished not to get the big head. It meant not too think too highly of yourself, not to become too cocky or arrogant. Avoid pride!

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So, though I had spent a lifetime avoiding “getting the big head,” when I found that monochromatic painting of a very big head at a local Goodwill for ten dollars a few years ago, I was ecstatic!

Score!

bh the eyes

This is a pasted black and white collage of the details. Even now – love it!

I just loved it. But the rest of the family, well, let’s just say – no one else really had the same head-over-heels reaction I had. Dave rather endured it, I think.

It looked like it had been some sort of huge hotel painting that perhaps an art student painted over, frame and all?  I  wondered if perhaps it was a painting of one’s lover, only to be disposed of when they broke up, too painful to look at?

But the big headed-portrait caused quite the conversations among my people. Who was this person? A pretty woman with very short hair? Or a man without much of an Adam’s apple? No one was sure. But I liked the androgynous face. I just did.

bh my goodwill art

I tried it in several spots, ultimately hanging it in the library where only Stormie and Hunter and myself truly appreciated it for the thrift-store gold it was.

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It just never creeped me out, even though it was so large and so sort of undefinable.

When the grandbebes came to visit this summer, however, they started requesting I remove it from the wall (very heavy) or cover it with a sheet.  Well, people, I am first and foremost a Nonna as opposed to a Goodwill art collector.  ;)

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So, I had to let it go…

*tear*

Ode to Ewan, oops it’s “Ioan” (as per Stormie)

Since Stormie, who had always called him “Ewan Ioan” said she wanted it if ever I should let it go {or die}, I bequeathed it to her and the wall is empty now – waiting for some other spectacular thing there. But I loved that thing and think I was quite cutting edge, design-wise…for at least 15 minutes! :)

Seen on Stormie’s Instagram the following day:

bh stormie's instagram 1

bh stormie's instagram 2

I can write an ode to almost anything, can’t I? Ha!

Do you have any large-faces on your walls?