Heads Up

16″ x 24” – Smalti, slate, and dishes

There’s a mystery behind this expressive, multicolored bearded man.

During a solo exhibition, I noticed something fascinating about this portrait. Again and again, visitors would stop, point, and say, “Doesn’t this look just like…?” Each person saw someone different: a friend, a relative, a colleague, or a familiar face from their own life.

Though the portrait was modeled after a fellow Julia Kay Portrait Party (JKPP) artist from Britain, there seems to be something universally recognizable about him. Perhaps it’s the direct gaze, the thoughtful expression, or simply the way our minds search for connection in a face.

What draws viewers in even further are the vibrant colors and richly layered textures. From a distance, the portrait makes a bold statement. Up close, fragments of smalti, slate, and reclaimed dishes reveal themselves, inviting closer inspection.

The longer you look, the more there is to find.

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