I am a portrait artist. Commissions are not my focus; I like to choose my subjects. My aim is to lovingly convey qualities that I admire about the person. And yet, staring frankly at the viewer, it is my subject who ultimately controls and conquers the intimacy of the moment. "Consent" and "trust" are driving forces behind my work. It is a privilege to be given consent, an act of trust to allow me my perception. If my sitter is unhappy with his or her portrait I will not promote it.     I work from video and photographs I take during a collaborative session. I bring ideas to the sitting, but we often improvise as we go. It can take months to complete a work on canvas. There is no significant build-up of paint, but there are countless layers. A few years ago, I started painting on paper. Each piece takes only days to complete. It's refreshing to jump between styles. My paper portraits have a spontaneous, dynamic quality, while my works on canvas tend to be quiet, defining essence. I often produce multiple portraits of one person to explore his or her different sides. Sometimes I shift my focus from the subject to execute a concept.     Every so often someone mistakes a portrait of one of my subjects for me. All my portraits are about me in some way. They are markers of my own struggles, aspirations, and states of mind. Portraiture has given me the opportunity to explore and direct the scope of my potential. My accumulation of pieces is a visual autobiography. My life and my art are increasingly intertwining, symbiotic. Thanks to portraiture I am practicing the art of giving, and learning to be more comfortable in my own skin. I look forward to the experiences and the relationships I will forge through my art.