In the start of 2026, I began a project of painting portraits from life after years of working from memory and everyday references. I want to connect more directly with what was in front of me and respond to the subtle shifts of light, expression and presence that only live observation can offer. I’m dedicated to finishing the painting in one sit, and not touching it after the model has left. This process is reigniting the intimacy and immediacy within my larger, story-based paintings. Below are selected works from this ongoing project.