Every person is a work of art.
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. 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.

Gwenn Seemel
James
2008
acrylic on canvas
22 x 22 inches
(detail below)
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CATEGORIES: - Process images - Philosophy - On portraiture -
(2) Comments / Commentaires: Every person is a work of art.
That’s how I experience it: the paintings come to life if I’m doing them right. Thank you!

Cora...
Looking at this series gives me the impression that he was growing lively through the process. Very enlightening!
Thank you for sharing this!
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