Self-Portrait

My interest in taking a figure and warping their features to depict what they are feeling behind their physical features is one of the ways that I prefer to paint. The fascination in how a person can put on a façade that they are fine when they really aren’t has always been such an interesting concept. Eyes are always a giveaway that something is wrong. By defining the eyes and leaving the rest of the figure to be expressive, we are naturally drawn into the eyes and then to the movement of the composition leads back into the face.

The thick paint creates texture that defines the face from the rest of the piece. Lines are used to direct the viewer into the face, moving you through it. The complimentary color scheme of red and green creates a roundness to the face, creating a sense of form. The bright highlights contrasts to the darker background. The lines that are scratched in and gestural brush marks create a movement which emphasizes the focal point. One thing about this painting I would change is creating an asymmetrical balanced composition rather than one in the center of the composition.

Self-Portrait, was on display in a solo art show at the Galesburg Civic Art Center, “Create, Destroy”, from March 6-28th, 2020 in Galesburg, IL.