“Every few years since I graduated from my studies at the Atelier Lack back in 1984, I find myself looking in the mirror as I work my way through yet another self portrait. Most often the inspiration, for me, is to simply have a convenient model in order to explore a variation on a technique, a new selection of colors on my palette, or explore a completely new approach. I have done enough of these now to notice a strange metamorphosis taking place. I attribute this to my mirror going bad or just getting a bit worn out.

”This particular painting was started as a way to solidify what I perceived as having gone well in my approach in how I had painted King Hall (doubly blessed to have it awarded the Draper Grand Prize in the 2024 Portrait Society of America’s International Competition, along with the piece becoming part of the permanent collection at the New Salem Museum of Fine Art).

”I do believe that craftsmanship is the vehicle to artistry. While my focus was primarily on honing my craft as I translated my visual perception, it was my wife who noticed that I had inadvertently caught something else. She commented on the ‘pained expression’ I had captured, one that I had apparently developed over the last couple of years, based on the growing need of a new hip. With that behind me and the new hip in place, I’ll look forward to this piece as a reminder of when the ‘day-by-day’ didn’t feel all that great.”