There is a process of collecting artifacts, an archaeological connection to the recent past, which occurs in the searching eye. Decorative and functional objects declared useless or undesirable are resurrected from their possible doom to become a crucial element in a work of art. With forethought to the making of a painting, these artifacts are selected for their material function as a picture plane and their ability to suggest narrative. This is the intersection of object and illusion.

As one who describes the world around him, an artist, as well as anyone else, is intrigued by the complexity of his own physiognomy. The portrait is a study of the face; an illusion depicting our most primitive and most effective instrument of communication. The face houses the sensory organs which, when viewed externally, express ideas so complex and intuitive that words fall short of describing them. The manner in which a person uses his or her facial features on a daily basis becomes a representation of that individual's mind or persona, as perceived by the senses of another. A portrait records the process of collecting the visual information evident in one's face through formal academic methods and unconscious decision-making.

Carrying with it the energy of its history, the artifact supports the painted illusion of a face, deepening the narrative. The likeness of the subject portrayed is accentuated by the sitter's own artistic involvement in the piece; through choosing the artifact, their bodily position, and often even colors used in the painting. These decisions intensify the subconscious portrayal of the subject with a direct connection to their way of thinking. The objective view of the painter combined with the input of the subject being painted is what determines the directness of this likeness.

The final result communicates the emotional capacity of the human face with the use of paint, along with ideas about collecting artifacts and information. Narratives are suggested by the artifacts in regard to their origin, history, and point of contact with the artist. The portraits are testimonies to certain individuals and their origin, history, and point of contact with the artist. At the intersection of object and illusion, where the 2nd dimension meets the 3rd, a painting rests on its support while a physical fragment of history houses the illusion of a face.




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