Portraiture* Artwork available for purchase is marked with an asterisk next to its title. For information about purchasing artwork, please contact the artist.
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The most direct and intimate way to paint a person is to be allowed to paint his or her portrait. Portraits are much more than a mere likeness of a person. A painted portrait is the result of a unique relationship that develops between the person being painted and the artist who is painting her. As an artist, I begin to get to know the person as we talk and make decisions before the painting even begins. As the work progresses, I observe not just the person but also the personality. I listen and learn all sorts of things about her, even if she is only a few years old. I become acutely aware of the beauty of each individual I work with, the beauty that is much deeper than the skin and hair and clothing. And yes, I frequently use photographs to supplement between the opportunities for sitting. However, these must be photographs that I take because that is the only way I can begin to get an idea of the true nature of the person I am painting. I the person is a young child, I need to spend time with him or her, to see her pets, his toys, her favorite climbing tree. In the process, the child forgets to put on the "say cheese" grin and allows his true personality to show. If the person is an adult, she needs to relax and become comfortable so that the resulting painting is of the person she truly is rather than a stiff pose. Always, when the owner of the portrait takes the finished painting home and we no longer see each other, I have a sense that a good friend has moved away. |
