Commissioned Portraits

I love to bring a portrait to life through oil painting. I take time to study the source material and if possible meet the the subject and get to know them, to see their mannerisms, how they smile and rest their face. I think there is something intangible we, as artists, imbue in portraits that is true of the subject as well, a part of you is within the image. An oil portrait captures the subject’s personality and a little bit of life, the way the skin glows and light glints of the eye.

Something I love about painting portraits is that I can push and pull light and shadow, create focus on the eyes and blend the edges of the torso more than is possible with a simple photo. I have to opportunity to bring a soul to a still image and I think that’s magical.