Expressions of My People is a collection of 87 portraits, celebrating and paying tribute to the expressions, impressions, and lives of those with whom I am closest to. Even in its execution, this exhibition is true to the story it tells: the photographs, turned portraits, were captured by my son, Leonardo, my brother-in-law, Alvaro, and myself, during family gatherings over the course of five years.
Each of these 87 portraits emerged while I was preparing my thesis for my Master's degree in Fine Arts, titled Self-Identity. Because of this educational context, I was able not only to exhibit those that have been influential in my journey of becoming an artist, but also to develop the techniques particular to portraits, which, for me, was a long-time feat and passion.
The art of portrait painting is as ever evolving as the people we know and those we have yet to meet. Through portraits, I am able to expose the lasting, and at times fleeting, impressions of each person that I paint. They are my eyes’ reflection of what words often times cannot convey. With each brushstroke in Expressions of My People, I was able to re-connect and express my love and thanks to each person’s contribution to my life, and to my art.
