When I finished this painting in August of 2009, it was the first self-portrait I had painted since July 2007.  I gave them up after finishing this portrait bag because I was worried that I was depending too much on the uninhibited nature of my self-portraits to get me through rough patches in my practice.  In my two year abstinence, I’ve found other ways to cope with slow periods and creative blocks.  It was a good exercise in self-control, but I am definitely ready again to exploit my own face for all it’s worth in my process!

To learn more about the making of this portrait, please visit this article on my blog.