2016

Acrylic on unfinished birch panel. I started painting portraits after staying in my mothers' painting studio, to be with her through her final days. There, I was surrounded by old family photos and struck by how the black and white images had such a more intimate feel. I created the same mood in my paintings by using a limited, muted color palette, while leaving the wood exposed giving the faces an organic quality, that's alive beyond paint. On a call with my nephew, I offered to do his portrait & he sent me a quick snap. I think his candid expression or lack thereof captures teen angst well, absorbed in his thoughts. He's a young man now and the painting is still part of his life, as am I.