How my life study fascination started and how it has progressed:

Though I have been art making since I was in high school, I started painting people from live observation back in 2018. What started as a simple coffeehouse paint hangout with a friend lead me to paint over 150 people in that first year and a half. I would paint anyone who would sit with me, mostly meeting up with people I had met off of Instagram or Reddit. At the time I was working mostly on paper and depicting people with layers of watercolor, acrylic paint markers, and an India ink brush pen. I had a very portable kit at the time and would carry it everywhere in my backpack.

I was so excited at the growth I was experiencing from all of the live studying I was able to do, but I didn’t pace myself and ultimately ended up burning out right before covid hit and cafes shuttered their doors for a season.

This caused me to settle into an at home studio and begin experimenting with acrylic paint applied via brush as well as work on larger, slower, and more elaborate layer builds. Though I was no longer painting portraits from live subjects I was still integrating portraiture into my abstract and expressive works.

An abstract portrait of a man with a beard painted with bold brushstrokes in shades of pink, orange, beige, gray, black, and purple.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man wearing a black cap against a bright green background.

Abstract portrait of a man with short gray hair, brown eyes, and a mustache, wearing a green hoodie, painted with bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors.

Colorful digital portrait of a man with a beard and cap, featuring small hearts and the phrase "SELF COMPASSION" on his face, with a red background and white splatters.

1st and 100th Portrait both of my friend KC:

Watercolor and ink illustration of a person with eyes closed, holding a book and wearing headphones, in a semi-abstract style with mixed colors and textures.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with messy hair, a beard, and earrings on white paper. The portrait is created with various brush strokes, splatters, and vibrant colors, signed by the artist and dated 2018.

The friend who sat for 1 & 100 was eager to also be the first person who posed for me in my studio.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with curly hair and a beard, painted with bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors.

In 2022, as a challenged to myself, I decided to paint a mirror study self portrait every month. By the end of that year I had learned so much that I couldn’t imagine stopping. I knew I was still in the foothills of the mountain of information I could unlock for myself if I kept going, so marched on.

A colorful, abstract portrait of a man with glasses, a beard, and a mustache, set against a pink background, painted in an expressive style.

Portrait of a man with a beard, wearing a black cap, painted in an expressive style with bold brushstrokes and warm colors. The text 'ALIVE AND WELL' is visible on the right side of the painting.

An abstract colorful portrait of a man with a beard, featuring layered brushstrokes in various shades of skin tone, hair, and background.

A colorful abstract portrait of a man with a beard and mustache, painted with bold brushstrokes and a vibrant background of green, gray, and red hues.

Abstract oil painting of a middle-aged man with glasses, a mustache, and beard, against a dark background, using bold brushstrokes and vivid colors.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with dark hair, beard, and yellow eyes, painted on a dark background.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with dark hair, beard, and mustache, painted with bright pink, orange, yellow, green, and black brushstrokes.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with glasses, mustache, and short hair, wearing a red shirt.

Abstract oil painting of a man's face with short dark hair, beard, and mustache, using bold brushstrokes and warm colors.

Colorful abstract portrait of a man with dark hair, mustache, and a beard, wearing a teal hoodie and red jacket, against an orange background.

A colorful abstract portrait of a man with glasses, using bright and varied colors and bold brushstrokes.

In doing so I rebuilt the confidence and drive to paint live subjects again. These sessions are much longer than my cafe days, but I have also made sure to pace myself. I have moved out of my home studio and into a space filled with natural light at the foot of the Morrison Bridge. Each time I have the opportunity to sit with someone, I learn so much and feel even further connected to my purpose as an artist and person.

A colorful painted portrait of an elderly man with glasses, a mustache, and a beard, wearing a yellow shirt against a dark background with small white and orange dots.

I have painted just over 50 people in the last 2 years out of the studio, including my parents pictured above. I often get asked why someone would want their portrait painted. I hear “why would I want a painting of myself?'“ and to that I say, There are SO MANY reasons someone would have their portrait painted. When I compare the experience to that of getting a tattoo, people have an easier time understanding the “why?”.

Your portrait becomes a land mark in time, something tangible that you sat through with the artist while they created it. This is a way to celebrate your life while also creating an heirloom. I am not painting you from a photo you send me, so it is a much more collaborative experience. While I paint you, we talk about life, where we are at, lessons we are learning, memories we have, and what we are striving for. It is a visualization of time physically spent together, as well as a way to punctuate the present moment.

Now, before its asked, I’m going to answer a very common question.

I will not paint a couples in the same composition. these portraits are painted in conversation so having you next to each other across from me creates way too much movement. on top of that, painting one person takes me 5+ hours so the thought of doubling that in a day while multiplying the amount of movement is not something I’m willing to do. I attempted it a few times painting people in cafes and always felt the compositions fell flat.

however,

I offer people the option of having a loved one/ significant other at their session with them. As to create a shared memory, I will have you sit across from each other and be the focal point for the person being painted. If you both want painted, I am happy to make a set of portraits that are complimentary to each other, but this will be 2 separate portrait sessions scheduled on different days.

This approach can also be applied, say, if you wanted to have your father or grand mother painted. I would love to have you both at the session, creating a shared memory of physically spending time together. You being their focal point, not only being a rendering of your loved one but being a memory of physical time spent together with them.