Artists Statement: This work stands at the core of my Alter Ego cycle. It is a portrait of myself—but not as I am. It’s as I might be, or as I feel in passing moments that resist explanation. In this painting, I use bold, contrasting colors—red, turquoise, yellow, and deep shadows—not simply to define form, but to expose emotional layers beneath the surface.

The face is fractured yet deliberate, composed like a psychological map. Each section reveals a different inner voice, a shifting state of being. The symmetry is broken, the body open and diagrammatic, hinting at vulnerability, introspection, and the struggle to hold one self-image together. The thin arrows pointing through the eyes symbolize both pressure and perception—a constant awareness of being seen, of seeing myself through other versions of me.

This work, like the rest of the cycle, is about the tension between who I think I am, and who I become each time I paint. The technique is layered and subtle—thin, smooth applications of oil that build a quiet emotional resonance. I’m never fully satisfied, and that discomfort is part of the process. In every face I paint, I search for something true—knowing I may not find it, but hoping the viewer might.