Painting Approach

I consider myself to be a contemporary super realist painter who specializes in psychological portraiture. Basically I work from memory. Little time is required on the part of the subject. I shoot photographs of my subjects that jog my intense recall.

I trained my visual memory through years of working from life sessions. I found that I was better able to convey their essence through my approach, which has evolved over the years. I involve my subjects in various aspects of the work's development.

  • Subjects choose the outfits they feel most represent them
  • I visit and often photograph subjects in their own environments
  • I only photograph subjects in stances they feel are natural for them
  • Subjects choose the photographs I will base the work on
  • I look at photographs of subjects in various stages of life as well as their family and friends. This enables me to get insights about their lives and experiences.
  • I borrow the outfits worn during the shooting session for the resulting work (preferably not cleaned)
  • Subjects may choose their favorite colors for backgrounds in the paintings
  • The resulting work becomes as formal or informal as the attire, stance and background color chosen by the subject

Every painting is a journey and an exploration. My subjects seem to have fun with their participation as well! I work this way whether the portrait is commissioned or not.

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