Artist Statement
The intimacy of the portrait is unique to any other subject in art. With each new portrait we are challenged to not only view the art aesthetically, but also, to form a new relationship with someone whom we have never met. Just as in any new relationship opinions and conclusions can be formed almost immediately; however, despite our own
first impressions one thing remains the same: we can find a little bit of ourselves in every portrait. This show challenges our ability to narrate the lives of those around us in our communities and close to home.
This collection of portraits is a celebration of the diversity of our region. Many of the faces seen in this exhibit are from entirely different cultures and backgrounds, yet all live under our nation’s flag. Through my experiences in both the extremely rural and extremely urban areas of our region I have formed relationships with a variety of people ranging from farmers and fishermen to inner city ministers and recent African immigrants. As a portrait artist I find excitement in capturing the personalities of each of these individuals through expression. By focusing exclusively on the face in each of my portraits I am able to leave the story of the individual up to interpretation. This provides the viewer with the unique ability to come up with their own narrative relating to someone specifically from our area.
My hope is that through this exhibition our community can relate to each other on a personal level through interpreting the lifestyles and backgrounds of those around them
while viewing these portraits. Ultimately, this exhibit unites us together to experience the beauty seen in the faces and expressions of those around us.
See more of Jon’s work on his website or his instagram.
