Sweet Emma
Foundations Collection
2019
"A celebration of sincerity, emotional openness, and the simple freedom of being unafraid to feel. "
The Question
What happens when we stop hiding what we feel?
When did expressing ourselves honestly become something we learned to filter?
And what might we rediscover if we allowed ourselves to feel more freely?
About the Work
Emotions make us human.
Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, excitement, affection—each gives meaning to the experiences we move through.
Yet as we grow older, many of us learn to filter what we feel.
We learn when to smile, when to remain quiet, when to hide disappointment, and when it is safer to keep what is happening inside to ourselves.
Sweet Emma began with a fascination with the opposite: the freedom of simply expressing what you feel.
There is something beautiful about a person who does not feel the need to disguise every emotion behind a carefully constructed exterior.
Her expression feels immediate and unguarded.
There is no elaborate explanation needed.
She is simply happy.
And perhaps that simplicity is something worth remembering.
Looking Closely
Her expression
An open and uncomplicated expression of happiness.
The eyes
A sense of presence and sincerity that makes the emotion feel immediate.
The smile
A small but unmistakable gesture that becomes the emotional center of the painting.
The feeling of openness
There is little sense of concealment. The emotion is allowed to exist naturally.
From the Studio
Every painting teaches me something I wasn’t expecting.
While creating Sweet Emma, I found myself thinking about how much of ourselves we learn to hide as we grow older.
Children can laugh when they are happy, cry when they are sad, and become excited without wondering whether their emotions are appropriate.
Somewhere along the way, many of us become more careful.
We learn to put on our own versions of a mask.
This painting reminded me that there is value in the people who remain genuine—in those who can express joy, affection, curiosity, or sadness without constantly worrying about how they will be perceived.
Perhaps growing wiser does not have to mean becoming more guarded.
Perhaps we can become more thoughtful while still remaining sincere.
Pause & Reflect
When was the last time you expressed exactly how you felt without worrying about how others might perceive you?
What emotions do you find easiest—and most difficult—to express?
Who in your life reminds you that it is safe to be genuine?
Within the Collection
Sweet Emma belongs to the Foundations Collection, a body of work representing an important period of experimentation, observation, and artistic development.
Created in 2019, the painting reflects my continuing interest in portraiture as a way of exploring not only physical appearance, but the emotional qualities that make each person distinct.
These works became part of my foundation as I learned to observe more carefully—to look beyond structure and likeness and pay attention to the subtle expressions, gestures, and moments that can reveal something of a person’s character.
Studio Notes
2019
Oil on Canvas
16 × 20 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
Availability
Available
$10,000
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Acquisition
Interested in making Sweet Emma part of your collection?
For acquisition inquiries, please contact the studio.