Mirrors are useful. They can reflect how things are and provide insight into where we’ve been. Artists have used mirrored objects throughout history to gain perspective on the subjects they are painting, especially themselves. You’ll even find mirrors in paintings employed as windows to look outward or forward as symbols.
Most of Miriam’s self-portraits were painted using a mirror including this first self-portrait in 1949 at 14 years old painted in the mirror of her room.
“First Self-Portrait” by Miriam McClung, 1949. Oil on canvas. 12” x 8”. Artist collection.
In this full-face portrait of Frank, Miriam’s son, she uses a mirror to show his profile (side) in the reflection, thus giving the viewer two perspectives of the subject in one painting.
“Frank at Christmas with Bear” by Miriam McClung, 1974. Oil on canvas. 24” x 20”. Artist collection.
While mirrors are great for reflecting things as they are, they can also be deceptive because they only show the exterior rather than the interior. Contrast these two self-portraits of Miriam done with a mirror:
“Self-Portrait in Pink” by Miriam McClung, 1975. Oil on canvas. 29” x 36”.
In this 1975 self-portrait, you see the confident mid-career professional artist in her studio in Birmingham, Alabama. The working tools of the artist on the table at her left, her canvas on the right, and an intent gaze are all focused on completing the piece at hand. What you can’t see in the mirror reflection or the portrait is a newish parent with a six-year-old son to raise, bills to pay, and an invalid husband to care for 24/7.
“Artist Self-Portrait” by Miriam McClung, 1961. Oil on board. 24” x 20”.
Now consider this 1961 self-portrait of Miriam. In this piece, Miriam took what the mirror saw as a confident young woman sitting in a chair and translated to canvas her dark, inner mood as an artist having returned to Birmingham from a year of art school in New York City at the Art Students League, but now working a secretarial job typing notes at a university.
Mirrors can also be dangerous. Trying to move forward while constantly looking at the past can cause one to slow to a standstill, miss opportunities, or even run into things ahead. If you look at the work of most great artists, you will see that they constantly adapt and change mediums, subjects, methods, and styles. Collectors and fans often get attached to a particular era of an artist’s work long after the artist has moved on to something new.
Because of Miriam’s longevity, passion, discipline, means, and adaptability, her work continues to change and move forward. Once she passes through an “era”, she rarely desires to go back to that point artistically. This constant change and moving ahead while reflecting on the past is a hallmark of her artistic journey and a recurring theme throughout her work over the decades.
2024: A Year of Pivoting
We feel like 2024 was a turning point year for Miriam’s art. Despite the brief enjoyment of having a reproduction of Miriam’s work featured in a Season 2 Episode 4 “Harmonious Home” of HGTVs show “Who’s Afraid of a Cheap Old House?”, and having over 38K followers on her Instagram account and over 9K on Threads, this was the year we switched from viewing her work as individual pieces to a whole collection spanning over seven decades. This shift in perspective was sparked by an understanding of the deep cultural value of her artistic career and work in its entirety. The art world calls this “oeuvre” or total body of work created throughout their career. Thus we began in earnest to learn how best to secure and solidify her artistic legacy as a significant women artist of Alabama in the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Over the last 12 months, we’ve met with estate planning attorneys to figure out how to minimize the tax implications of her existing art collection and preserve it for the future for others to enjoy and study. We engaged a certified appraiser to assist in the evaluation of her collection for planning and tax purposes. And we hired our first employee (Miriam’s grandson) to continue the long and difficult but invaluable process of cataloging her work. All this while building lots of shelves at the art storage facility to better preserve her collection. And we will be working with an art consultant this month to help us create a detailed strategy for her collection and legacy.
2024: We’re Not Done Yet!
We continue to have strong interest from collectors in Miriam’s work. Many thanks to new collectors of Miriam’s work: Reb in Birmingham, Alabama, and Melissa in Auburn, Alabama! And while we continue our evaluation process, we have made a selection of her work available for purchase. Please note that there will be a price increase in 2025, so these prices are good until the end of 2024.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT MIRIAM’S ART
“This one choked me up. It is beautiful, powerful, and so personal…I am always grateful when you share your amazing talent with us all.”
– CAROL H., ARTIST & SUPPORTER
“It is just beautiful! I love the colors, the variations of the greens are so real and the colors of the zinnias make a wonderful contrast. And there is movement so visible, like wind or hope! They are truly a treat for the eyes and the soul.”
– KATHY A., COLLECTOR, PENNSYLVANIA
“I love this. It reminds me of Maltby Sykes. Your artistic range amazes me.”
– MELLISA M., SUPPORTER
“Like Matisse, your lines are poetry!”
– MARI W., SUPPORTER
“To me, she’s an Alice Neel of the current time, and I hope her work is recognized and remembered.”
– CARMEN H., ARTIST & COLLECTOR, IRELAND
Thanks for making it this far and supporting Miriam’s art.
