Portrait

If you can’t say it with a broad brush
preferably do not say it at all

… that is an important motto for me when painting. In portrait painting, this presents an additional challenge, as nuance often has a major influence on the degree of recognizability and likeness.

My portraits are therefore primarily an exploration of expressively “capturing” the person in question through powerful brushwork aimed at achieving simplicity and effectiveness. In doing so, I strive for a mix of recognizability, distortion, and abstraction. Recognizability as in the fleeting impression of a first glance at the subject. Distortion of the image according to my own interpretation and expression on the canvas. Abstraction through the simplicity of lines and powerful, sometimes rough brushstrokes.

Below a selection of my portraits