The nearly 50 self portraits from different periods of my life represent a major part of my creative efforts. The question concerning the reason for so many self portraits is a logical one. I have tried to reflect the various emotions, life events and projections about the existence that has shaped my life. These reactions to my life experiences have sometimes been joyful, fearful, sad and/or reflective. I have never attempted to flatter my appearance but rather tried to capture what the mirror reflects back to me as well as what emotional connection that I felt in the moment.In simple terms, the self portrait offers several other advantages for the artist. Aside from recording your existence and attitude toward life events, it is a very meditative experience. One can look, study and paint in that solo world that blocks out all others and allows meditation on aging and qualities of your face. It is also a form of portraiture in which there is no need to please as in a commission portrait. What you feel the need to express is the final word, no other opinion counts. Freedom, the ultimate form of expressive freedom. Another advantage is cost. You can paint a self portrait for months or years and model fees are not relevant, just your own patience and determination.
As the aging process continues, I hope to be able to continue to make honest statements about my own life. To the viewer I suggest, yes, I have lived and this is how I felt about my own existence.
