Portrait Commissions
When I was a child, looking at the faces of strangers and imagining what they might be like was one of my favorite forms for entertainment. It still is.
Although portraiture is not my principal activity, portraits have always been the subject of my interest and attention. To have the ability to illuminate a personīs life, and create a complex interpretation of another human being, is still one of the most rewarding experiences I have as an artist.
As a process itself, creating a portrait is ultimately about the trust between the sitter and the artist. When modeling for a portrait, every person will reveal themselves, consciously or otherwise. The sitter needs to trust that the artist will capture something essential and unique about them, leaving an imprint by which they will be remembered by those who know and love them.
And there is yet another fascinating aspect of painting a portrait: the knowledge that the image, especially oil on canvas, will last for many generations. I believe that the desire for life after death lies deep within human nature. Everything that our civilization ever created - and is still creating - is an expression of that desire. And with the work of art, we can have it. Every time I complete a portrait, I canīt help but smile and think to myself that Ive just turned a human being into an immortal.
