The Blog

In celebration of the soon-to-arrive Valentine’s Day, a piece of art, made with love.
Awhile ago, I had the idea to create something I would call an “ancestral collage” – a self-portrait comprised of features inherited from my parents and grandparents.

Image: Self-Portrait, (c) Lauren G. Chapin

Based on this image of myself from 2 years ago,

This is who I am made of:

My father’s family (left to right): Pappy (my grandfather) with cousin Allison, Gamma (my grandmother), Uncle Tom, Aunt Linda with cousin Franklin, Dad, Mom

My dad (left) with his best friend, Howie (right)

My father’s face.

My parents

His nose, smile, and chin.

My maternal grandmother, Kay

My grandmother’s eyes and “drip” on the end of her nose.

A hint of my mother’s jaw, her cheeks, and her “swan neck.”

Knit together in my mother’s womb, fearfully and wonderfully made.