Portrait of Emily S.
Oil on Linen
Collection of the artist

I convinced this wonderful neighbor to pose for me. I was very much enamored of the "casual portrait," the slice-of-life-in-the-moment feel that I get from Valentin Serov or Frank Duveneck's work. Emily was the perfect chance to see if I could get it together. Posed in natural daylight, she would come over each opportunity we had. and we would work on the painting. and she would tell me about "stuff." I tried to avoid getting her all smiles, and indeed she has a serious thoughtful look about her, appropriate to what young people face in life at her age. The placement of the red book, its size, color and position, was critical to the balance of the picture.