In early 2005, my style changed dramatically as a result of a simple addition to my arsenal of tools: a new brush. Until then, I had been working with smaller round brushes and two very large house-painting brushes. One day, wandering around my art supply store, I decided to purchase a wide brush of finer quality. The brush was two inches wide, and it changed my work forever. Before introducing it to my work, the strokes were less varied and less dynamic than in this portrait.  It’s obvious when compared to a painting from 2004.