Painting a portraiture is the most satisfying form of art that I create. When in an instant you don’t see the face in paint anymore, but the person or animal up close right before you, staring right at you from the canvas. This amazes me every time, and I know if I press on, it will come.
Often you don’t need to know a being to see their essence. I’ve always known that I am hypervigilant and hypersensitive. These tendencies can be a weakness as it can be draining, but they can also be a strength. I can feel people’s energy and sense their mood acutely when in their presence. Animals rely on this heightened sense for survival, and I like to think I am part animal!
I love painting someone’s portrait, and by someone, I do mean human or animal. You can look into an animal’s soul just the same as you can a human’s, in fact they are often much easier to see.
Photos are a beautiful artform, and it’s a skill to capture the essence of someone in front of the lens, but with a painting, I feel like the subject is in the room.