Finding Faces: Alternative Approach to Portraiture

A face to me is like an apple to Cezanne. I am interested in the emotions the face conveys: the scars, wrinkles and unique characteristics on each. Yet, I am not interested in painting a “likeness” or a portrait, at least not in the sense of creating an accurate depiction of my subject, but what they are portraying and expressing. On its own, the face can express a lot about a person’s character without having to say a word. Regardless of whom they are or where they are from, each person I paint has a story written on his or her face that I wish to portray in my paintings. In this thesis, I will share my journey from a rigid realistic painter of animals to a loose and expressive painter of human emotions. As with all journeys there were setbacks, challenges, changes, but ultimately a prize to be had. For me that prize was the discovery of my own artistic style that incorporates street art and one of the most famous contemporary artists: Chuck Close. My results, thus far, have not brought me to the end of my studies but to an exciting new chapter. Each piece represents not only a new creation, but a new experiment that opens doors to new ideas. Even as this thesis is written, there are many more canvases in my studio with new experiments on them.