I’m taking up my own experiment of seeing my face in a new way, from different angles, to see what is there, not what I need to hide or camouflage ~ just what is purely me, the she that is me that everyone else sees but I have not wanted to see because she didn’t meet my approval. I’m easing into loving myself. My new iPhone was the inspiration because it has a camera on both sides – amazing. I’m fighting the nudge that perhaps this is all a bit narcissistic – perhaps it is but the intention of falling in love with one’s self can only be magical & productive.

Vivianne McMaster teaches an online course called “You are Your Own Muse” which I so want to take when it begins again. She is an extraordinary woman & artist living in British Columbia. The course is an adventure in self-portraiture & letting yourself shine.

What I’m noticing is how broad my check bones are. A lot like my Sami heritage. I used to see my brother & my dad in my nose & mouth region which would repulse me. I felt it was too masculine & manlike ~ not delicate & feminine. But my face is strong, I have strong features. Because the sides of my face are vastly different I once called my mom to ask what happened at my birth. Did they use forceps on my head? is what I really asked her. One side droops a little, my eye is smaller & my ear sticks out. I call it my elf ear – it runs in the family. We are half elfin.

This photo shows the scar from Oly our old english sheep dog that bit into my face & dragged me across the room when I was nine.

my favorite angle

I just think this is funny & it drove Raine crazy when I took it at Starbucks. I keep telling her that part of my job as her mom now is to embarrass her.