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Drawing 50


I woke up, thinking - what to do today? What does one do when one turns 50? My paints were in my studio, but the only thing that made any sense was to sit myself down right away, and take a good honest look at myself before I had any time to think. I found a watercolor block, and my drawing box and thus began a project of drawing myself every day for my 50th year. To live 50 as a painter, taking a good look each day, whether I have 2 minutes or an hour, and whether I want to or not. And in the way that iterations are not just repetitions but change due to the very fact of being repeated, I will live the year of 50.

Karen Kaapcke, September 2012

The Continuation: I have noticed in this, my 51st year, that I am more my body than ever. Yet I was suddenly barely recognizing it. The need to look at it and 'lean in' with it, to work with it, has become central. As a result, my body is becoming more my own. And more universally representative of the need to be present physically in a way that most women find only happens in the younger, sexy years. 51 = drawing the body.

Karen Kaapcke 3.30.13

A few years later, and I looked into the mirror - and was struck by how foreign my belly was to me. I still don't recognize myself.

Karen Kaapcke 9.20.16
Came down with a nasty bug, and once the house emptied out for a couple of hours, I sat down to rest.  I thought, I should go a draw my self-portrait but I was so wiped-out I couldn't bring myself to leave the couch.  As I was sitting there considering all this, I began to see myself from the outside-in, and from above, which I realized was todays self-portrait drawing.   The out-of-body experience while working always amazes me - I didn't feel anything, let alone ill, for at least an hour.


1.26.13, self portrait on couch with green socks, craypas, 6x9", ©Karen Kaapcke 2013

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