Portrait Collection: Faces and Stories
Our portrait series explores character, expression, and the relationship between artist and subject. Each portrait begins with conversations and observation.
Why Portraits Matter
Portraits aren't just about capturing how someone looks — they're about revealing who they are. When we paint a portrait, we're not just working with light and shadow on a canvas. We're having conversations, building trust, and spending time understanding the person sitting across from us.
Our collection represents seven years of portrait work. Some subjects came to us with clear ideas of what they wanted. Others arrived uncertain, and we discovered their character together through sketching and conversation. Each piece tells that story — the process matters as much as the finished painting.
The Portrait Process
We work through four distinct stages, though they don't always happen in order. Some portraits take three weeks, others take months.
Conversation
We meet, talk about what they want, show reference work. This isn't rushed. We're looking for what makes them feel authentic.
Sketching & Studies
Multiple sketches happen. Sometimes 5-7 before we lock in the composition. This is where we find the expression that feels right.
Sittings
Actual sittings usually happen 2-4 times, though we work from photographs and memory too. Each session is 2-3 hours.
Refinement & Finishing
The final layers take time. We're working with glazes, adjusting subtle shifts in tone, making sure the eyes feel alive.
Technical Approach
Most of our portraits are oil on canvas. We start with burnt sienna underpainting — this gives us a warm base to work against. It's a technique that goes back centuries, and it still works because you can see through thin layers of lighter paint.
Color accuracy matters, but it's not everything. We're paying attention to how light hits the face, where shadows fall, and how the person's skin tone shifts depending on what's nearby. A portrait done entirely in realistic skin tones can feel flat. One that plays with temperature — warmer shadows, cooler highlights — suddenly feels alive.
Eyes are where people focus first. We spend disproportionate time on them. The catch light — that reflection of light in the eye — is essential. Without it, even a technically perfect portrait feels dead.
Stories Behind the Work
Some portraits from our collection came from unexpected places. These are the ones that surprised us.
The Commission That Became a Series
A family asked us to paint their grandmother's portrait. What started as a single commission turned into five portraits of different family members. They didn't want idealized versions — they wanted recognizable, honest work. That taught us something about what people actually want from a portrait.
The Self-Portraits
We've done seven self-portraits over the years. They're harder than painting other people — you're fighting with yourself about what's accurate and what's wishful thinking. We found that the best ones happened when we stopped trying to be objective and just painted what we felt in the moment.
The Open-Studio Portrait Sessions
During our open-studio weekends, we've done quick portrait studies of visitors. 30-minute sketches, mostly charcoal and pencil. Some of these turned into longer paintings. The spontaneity of those sessions — working without overthinking — created some of our most expressive work.
Seeing the Collection
The full portrait collection is on permanent display in our studio gallery. We rotate selections based on the season and add new work as we complete it. During open-studio weekends, you can see the work in natural light and talk directly with us about specific pieces.
We also do commissioned portraits. If you're interested in having your portrait painted, we'd recommend starting with a conversation about what you want. No obligation — just coffee and talking about the process. We work with oils, acrylics, and graphite depending on what feels right for your portrait.
Want to visit the studio or discuss a commission?
Get in Touch
About This Article
This article describes our portrait practice and the techniques we use in our studio. Portrait painting is a deeply personal art form — approaches vary widely between artists, and what works for our practice may differ from other studios. We encourage you to visit local studios, talk with different artists, and develop your own understanding of portraiture. Every painter brings their own vision and experience to the work.
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