Artist Statement

Family Portrait

This series of portraits uses a delicate sense of light inspired by the Dutch Masters. They stem from previous work in evening landscapes with extreme lighting, using long exposures to reveal what the eye cannot see. This is influential in creating a moody, dark and atmospheric rendering of people who are very familiar yet present themselves in a new light when allowed to pose for the camera in this setting. They become inventive portraits, where the sitter is allowed a bit of an alter ego, perhaps exposing a part of themselves they don’t often reveal. A minimal use of light, leaving strong contrasts and at times underexposed images, while capturing the expressions of contemporaries, creates an intriguing dialogue between an aesthetic past and present. One does not necessarily preclude the other; they can live in harmony.
The term and title “Family” speaks to the people we surround ourselves with; people from different facets of our daily life. They may not be immediate family or blood related but are given a prominent place in daily life. Particularly in a time of social- distancing in this pandemic, it seems all the more pertinent with whom we spend our time.