STOPM:2020.545

Valerie Smith

Art
STOPM:2020.545
STOPM_2020_545a: self-timer photograph of Valerie, looking over the shoulder with a pearl on her nose and scarves of blue sequins and grey silk draped around her head [in the style of the painting The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer].
STOPM_2020_545b: front cover of a ring bound calendar. The cover has an image of the painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci at the left, and an image of Valerie recreating this painting on the right - with her hands crossed over in the same manner. The logo for the charity Beat has been added, and the text 'Valerie's Gallery #lockdown2020'.
STOPM_2020_545c: close-up view of the September month of Valerie's Gallery calendar - the image on the left is a portrait of Frida Kahlo, on the right is Valerie's version, with flowers and jewellery to imitate Frida's adornments. Text says 'Frida Shoulda Gone to Specsavers?
STOPM_2020_545d: close-up view of a month in Valerie's Gallery calendar - the image on the left is a painting of Marie Antoinette, on the right is Valerie's version: wearing a costume dress and cutting a cake. Text says 'Marie Antoinette at the Guillotine, With Cake'.
STOPM_2020_545e: two images - top is a close-up image of the hands which feature in the Fresco painting The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, and the bottom image is Valerie's version, taken in the bathroom at the toilet, with each hand pointing towards each other. Text underneath says 'MichaelAndrex at the Cistern Chapel'.
STOPM_2020_545f: two images - left is a close-up image of the painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche, and the bottom image is Valerie's version, blindfolded and reaching for hair styling tools. Text underneath says 'Lady Jane Grey Going for The Chop'.
STOPM_2020_545g: two images - left is a photograph of the Statue of Liberty, right is Valerie dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. Text underneath says 'The Statue of Liberty Print'.
STOPM_2020_545h: two images - left is a close-up of the painting The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, showing a woman in a dress on a swing, the right image is Valerie's recreation, wearing a similar pale pink dress and with the same posture, holding onto rope. Text says 'The Swinger'.
STOPM_2020_545i: two images - left is a cropped version of Whistler's Mother, a painting by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. This shows the side profile of a woman sat on a chair. the right image is Valerie's version, sat on a folding chair, with a rolling pin under the arm and wearing similar black dress with white head covering. Text underneath says 'Whistler's Mother-in-law'.
STOPM_2020_545a: self-timer photograph of Valerie, looking over the shoulder with a pearl on her nose and scarves of blue sequins and grey silk draped around her head [in the style of the painting The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer]. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545b: front cover of a ring bound calendar. The cover has an image of the painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci at the left, and an image of Valerie recreating this painting on the right - with her hands crossed over in the same manner. The logo for the charity Beat has been added, and the text 'Valerie's Gallery #lockdown2020'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545c: close-up view of the September month of Valerie's Gallery calendar - the image on the left is a portrait of Frida Kahlo, on the right is Valerie's version, with flowers and jewellery to imitate Frida's adornments. Text says 'Frida Shoulda Gone to Specsavers? Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545d: close-up view of a month in Valerie's Gallery calendar - the image on the left is a painting of Marie Antoinette, on the right is Valerie's version: wearing a costume dress and cutting a cake. Text says 'Marie Antoinette at the Guillotine, With Cake'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545e: two images - top is a close-up image of the hands which feature in the Fresco painting The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, and the bottom image is Valerie's version, taken in the bathroom at the toilet, with each hand pointing towards each other. Text underneath says 'MichaelAndrex at the Cistern Chapel'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545f: two images - left is a close-up image of the painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche, and the bottom image is Valerie's version, blindfolded and reaching for hair styling tools. Text underneath says 'Lady Jane Grey Going for The Chop'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545g: two images - left is a photograph of the Statue of Liberty, right is Valerie dressed up as the Statue of Liberty. Text underneath says 'The Statue of Liberty Print'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545h: two images - left is a close-up of the painting The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, showing a woman in a dress on a swing, the right image is Valerie's recreation, wearing a similar pale pink dress and with the same posture, holding onto rope. Text says 'The Swinger'. Thumbnail STOPM_2020_545i: two images - left is a cropped version of Whistler's Mother, a painting by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. This shows the side profile of a woman sat on a chair. the right image is Valerie's version, sat on a folding chair, with a rolling pin under the arm and wearing similar black dress with white head covering. Text underneath says 'Whistler's Mother-in-law'. Thumbnail

A Calendar for 2021 made by Stockport resident Valerie. During lockdown Valerie was inspired by the art challenge set by the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, to recreate iconic artworks using things from around the home.

“(It was) created and curated during the early days of lockdown, and using the 10-second selfie setting on my iPad. The original was the Mona Lisa, appropriately re-named the Moaner Lisa, an installation designed to cheer up my patients and colleagues at the Eating Disorders Unit at the Priory Hospital in Cheadle Royal. This quickly became a challenge…and the rest is history… Thank goodness for a sense of humour, an extensive dress-up box and 40+ years in the fashion design business before joining my fellow heroes in Mental Health. Oh…and days off, during which, as they say, The lockdown devil finds work for idle hands!”

All of Valerie’s images ©Valerie Smith.