stilgoeportraiture

Painting and portraits fascinate me. Combine the two and you have a basic understanding of my artistic practice. Drawing inspiration from artists like Chuck Close and Ken Currie, I produce portraits in various mediums of celebrities and friends alike. I am interested in creating portraits that are relatable and have an impact, and although I work towards photorealism - it is a direction - not the destination. My enjoyment of paint constrains me from erasing the brush marks to a photo realistic state. I want it to look like a painting.

The subject matter is deeply rooted in my interest in people and how we communicate with each other, how we express our thoughts and feelings, and how although we all have the same basic genetic makeup we can be vastly different, in appearance and personality, and this is reflected in the individual handling of each piece I produce.