I am painting every person’s portrait one face at a time.
I’ve made this outrageous goal my life’s work because, more than any other image, an individual’s own likeness is most able to touch that person. Hate it or love it, a subject can’t help but be profoundly affected by a portrait.
Leveraging this unique aspect of portraiture, I am saving contemporary art. I am making art matter, one person/portrait at a time.
This is the beginning of my portrait of James Surgeon. Under-colors down, then getting more of a solid grip.
Painting is a cycle of losing the lines and shapes and features, then finding them again. Here, I’m in the middle of the “losing-everything” part of the cycle!
Getting back on track.
Really figuring out the structure of James’ face.
Bringing together all the threads of the painting into a whole.
James Surgeon
2008
acrylic on canvas
22 x 22 inches
(detail below)
