I did not decide to be a portrait or a figure painter. In fact, it's what I specifically did not want to be. I went down that road in photography and watched myself led into working with people. I had decided that was not to be in art as I was happily abstract painting.
I didn't know it then but I do now, artistic voice doesn't work that way. When it came down to it, my inner inspirations, visions, and expressions in painting were the same ones I had in photography. While the camera was able to capture my people creations quite easily, I now needed to learn to draw and paint them for this work. This will be my lifelong journey.
pastel study
pastel study
charcoal study
Soft pastel study for larger painting
