2020

This portrait captures my partner, Behrad, in a moment of contentment. I feel so much sympathetic joy when I see him happy, and through this painting I was able to savor that emotion. The bright, surreal colors are softened by the grainy texture of the canvas, lending a dreamlike atmosphere to the painting. He is looking down, eyes almost closed, as if contemplating his own beautiful dream.

The most compelling aspect of painting someone I love is not the painting itself, but how the process of portrait painting changes the way I see the person after the portrait is complete. The process of close observation that is necessary for portrait painting creates a unique intimacy between painter an