Portraits are my favorite subject. While I am painting a face, I am one with the person, and there is an exhilaration that comes from achieving this intimacy. My job is to find the beauty and uniqueness of every face and show it to the viewer. It starts from finding the most pleasing angle and then surrounding it with a composition that enhances the subject’s personality. By weaving elements of art such as shape, space, color and value, my goal is to elicit a sort of internal gasp of recognition from the viewer: “Ah, that is a beautiful painting! Comparable to painting faces, to me, is painting flowers. One of my favorites is the Magnolia. I am attracted to it because of its delicate colors and the shape of its petals, curling over and under. I enjoy examining how the light falls on all the different parts to give it its unique shape and personality. With every painting I complete I am taking the next step on the journey of exploration required to becoming a better artist.