Duality

18″ × 13” – Dinnerware, smalti, and stained glass

Some portraits stay with me long after I’ve created them. This is one of them.

The subject is a fellow Julia Kay Portrait Party (JKPP) artist whose portrait I originally drew in 2012. More than a decade later, his image continued to call to me, asking to be reimagined in mosaic.

With its deep, rich palette and dramatic contrasts, the piece challenged me to push beyond my usual materials and techniques. Combining reclaimed dinnerware, smalti, and stained glass allowed me to build layers of color and texture that echo the complexity I see in both the portrait and the person.

I titled the work Duality because of the interplay between opposing forces: light and shadow, strength and vulnerability, the outward self and the inner world. As I worked, I became fascinated by his thoughtful gaze. His eyes seem to follow the viewer from one side to the other, inviting reflection and raising questions rather than offering answers.

For me, this portrait speaks to the many dimensions we all carry within us. It is a celebration of complexity and a reminder that some of the most compelling truths exist not in certainty, but in the space between opposites.

#74 in my ongoing Julia Kay Portrait Party (JKPP) series of contemporary artists.