"A painting is a physical, crafted object; a film is not. Still pictures don’t move, don’t talk and last longer. Film and video bring their time to us; we bring our time to painting - it's a profound difference that won't go away.“
David Hockney
Whenever possible, I like to paint a portrait with three to four sittings. These sessions give me time to observe, absorb, and connect. Between sittings, I continue the work in the studio—refining background, clothing, and atmosphere with the help of photos I take during our time together.
The first session is just a beginning—a rough laying in of the head after we’ve decided on light, format, and composition. From there, the portrait slowly evolves. Small changes are always part of the process. I keep things open in the early stages, allowing space for the painting to grow and respond.
What the sitter brings to each session—their expressions, posture, silences—seeps into the work. You try to catch it, bit by bit, like casting a net. Over many hours, through countless layers of paint, a likeness begins to surface—each layer more refined than the last.
By starting from life, something deeper emerges. Not just a face, but a presence—a portrait that feels lived in and human.