The Listener

The Listener

I am always looking for images of complex expressions—faces that hold two or three emotions at once or seem to say one thing and hide another. I worked through many digital sketches, adjusting small details in the eyes, the tilt of the head, the trace of a smile, until I found a presence that felt alive. When I finally painted her, I worked quickly, letting broad strokes, drips, and unfinished areas remain. I think that gives her a kind of honesty. She isn’t polished or arranged; she’s simply there, watching, taking everything in.