Self-Love Painting

As a hyperrealist, I paint what I see but also what I feel. I spent years questioning why I do what I do. What is the point of painting to the point of extreme realism when I can just frame the photo? The only answers that I have found are in embracing the process and also recognizing the sprinkling of genius revealed in the end results. As I paint, it feels more like sculpting. I tend to paint more like a watercolorist than an oil painter. I build my paintings organically, rather than strategically. Layer upon layer of thin applications eventually build a sense of depth. I prefer large scale paintings because it allows me to become lost in the beauty of abstractions. It takes patience, dedication, faith and a bit of obsession for detail to create this type of work. My day job since the age of 18 has been massage therapy. I feel this work informs my painting subconsciously, as it has heightened and built my kinesthetic awareness. When I talk to a client, see them, touch them, I am always listening and sensing what lies below the surface. Everything that I see, I touch energetically. So it is with my painting. I contemplate the essence or the soul of my subject matter as I paint. Often I am surprised at the resulting personality of finished paintings. It is as though the visual and physical conversation that I have with my subject breathes life into the image. Mysteriously the image, or the painting takes on a life of it's own, seperate from myself, and it feels as though I have given birth. It should be no wonder then, why the act of painting itself often feels like a struggle. No labor is complete without a degree of pain. Ultimately painting is a way for me to seek truth and beauty. I am honored to be able to share my work with you, my viewer and hope to inspire you on your own journey.