Self Portrait: My first oil painting teacher said “everyone should do a self portrait.” I was in quarantine, so I did. I have always been fascinated by people: thoughts, feelings, motivations, deepest fears, greatest joys. Can we find comfort in our shared experiences, feel compassion for another’s life different from our own? The human experience, if we live long enough, is more marathon than sprint. Being drawn to people in the throes of life, I strive to take on people’s images with reverence and a hope and desire that I express fully what I am being shown. Everyone needs to be seen. It is my hope and ever-present goal to first “see” and then to express that for others to see as well.